


Once Upon a Time, in Britannia

by LokasennaHiddleston



Category: Code Geass
Genre: Alternate Universe, Britannia siblings bonding, Charles is not a completely horrible dad, Crack, F/M, Fairy Tale Elements, Female Lelouch, Fluff and Crack, Gen, Humor, Overprotective brother Schneizel, Suzaku's spinning kicks of doom, The Knights of the Round are bros, except Luciano because I don't like him, no geass
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-28
Updated: 2018-12-05
Packaged: 2019-04-14 06:16:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 24,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14129874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LokasennaHiddleston/pseuds/LokasennaHiddleston
Summary: Once upon a time, in an empire far far away, there lived a handsome young soldier named Suzaku with a mildly alarming love for big robots, a propensity for bad decisions and a very high libido. Chaos ensues when, out of sheer desperation, Prince Schneizel recruits our young hero to protect his lovely, but temperamental sister Leloucia. Will Suzaku's bulging pectorals and bright green eyes be enough to make Leloucia accept her new knight? Will Suzaku manage to keep Leloucia safe from her insane uncle Victor? Will Emperor Charles ever find a hairstyle that is less horrible? Read and find out.





	1. In Which the Quest Begins

**Author's Note:**

> Why did I write this? I think I blame Code MENT. I simply couldn't resist. I promise I'll wrap up the next chapter of The Unholy Trinity soon, but this just happened, so yeah... I hope you guys like it. Remember. Comments and kudos are love!

Once upon a time, in an empire far far away, there lived a handsome young soldier. Now, this young man—whom we shall call, for the purpose of this story, Suzaku—had not always been a soldier. In fact, once, he had been a prince. However, his homeland had been invaded by another, and in the process, his father had been killed. (Details not important. Ahem.) Where Suzaku's mother was, this storyteller does not know. Perhaps he simply manifested magically from his father's loins and he had no mother at all.

Either way, with his father gone and their retainers hiding in the four corners of their overrun kingdom, Suzaku found himself at a loss.

Anyone other than him would have perhaps decided to join a quest to free his homeland from its invaders. But our hero said no. Instead, he joined the army of the occupational force in question.

As you can probably imagine, he was not the most gifted man in terms of intelligence.

Nevertheless, he was extremely hard-headed, and perhaps, very determined, because he did indeed complete the torturous training necessary for his task. Our young hero rejoiced, thinking that he was finally getting somewhere... only to be relegated to the humblest position available.

He cleaned a lot of latrines and chopped a lot of potatoes in the months that followed.

Meanwhile, in another corner of the massive empire, there lived a beautiful princess. Fair of skin and dark of hair, the princess—whom we shall call Leloucia—was a vision of beauty few mortals dared to look upon. Why? It is quite simple really. She was as fierce as she was beautiful, and one glare from her lovely amethyst eyes made seasoned soldiers quiver in their boots.

There was one man, however, who ignored the danger to his life, and often entered the lair of the princess. The man was the young princess's brother, Schneizel, and he feared deeply for his sister's life.

"Leloucia, dearest," he would tell her, "you must take a knight. Your safety is at risk."

Emerging from behind a stack of books as tall as she was, Leloucia eyed him balefully. "I'll be fine, thank you. I can defend myself."

"Yes, I know, but you are a princess. You shouldn't have to defend yourself."

This was a recurring argument between the two siblings, one in which Schneizel unavoidably emerged defeated. But Schneizel was a very cunning man, and not beneath emotional blackmail. He was well aware that, despite her fierceness, the princess was fond of him. He had raised her, after her mother had decided children were boring and had returned to her previous position of knight.

(Incidentally, this proved to be a mistake, as she had been killed within a year. But again, details not important.)

What mattered was that Leloucia cared for her dear older brother, and so, eventually, after one particular evening that involved several games of chess, two bottles of wine and a foot massage, she relented to one request. She would agree to take a knight on a trial basis, and should the person displease her, he or she would be dismissed.

The news was received with mixed reactions. Some of young Leloucia's siblings rejoiced, as they believed their dear sister would finally be safe. Other, less naive ones, were already taking bets on how much Leloucia would make her chosen knights suffer. Emperor Charles was the one keeping track of each individual bet. He looked forward to whatever viciousness his lovely daughter would unleash upon the world.

The emperor's loyal retainers fell somewhere in between. While wary of what this may mean, they jumped at the opportunity to serve the beautiful princess. The emperor's most loyal knight, Bismarck, secretly wished he could offer his own services. As the Knight of One, he was the greatest warrior of the empire, and thus, the princess would likely be unable to find fault in him.

Also, the princess bore a distinct resemblance to the late empress, to whom Bismarck had been... acquainted with in a rather biblical sense. He wouldn't have minded if he reenacted the pleasant memories of his time with Empress Marianne with her even more beautiful daughter.

But alas, it was not possible, as his oath was to serve the emperor. So instead, he and Prince Schneizel assigned the Knight of Three, Gino Weinberg to safeguard their treasure of loveliness.

In hindsight, Bismarck should have known better. Weinberg had many qualities, but tactfulness was not one of them.

To his credit, he did last one whole week in the princess's service, which proved to be a good performance during the following months. Luciano Bradley's attempt went south within a day, and the man barely escaped with his life. Monica Krushevsky lasted two weeks, while Anya Alstreim barely managed to reach one like Weinberg. Kewell Soresi lasted three days. Dorothea Ernst, Viletta Nu and Nonnette Enneagram lasted six. 

Jeremiah Gottwald held the record of two weeks and five days. It was a source of much dismay, as Prince Schneizel truly had hoped Gottwald would be able to meet his dearest sister exacting standards. Possessing a near fanatical loyalty to the empire in general and the princess's line in particular, Gottwald would have been a perfect knight. But apparently, Leloucia was not so easily swayed.

Naturally, Schneizel persisted. He enlisted his sister Cornelia in his quest, and she generously donated her own knights in an attempt to find someone good enough for their beloved sibling.

Alas, each and every attempt was rejected... most explosively. Usually resulting in traumatic effects for the individuals in question and bouts of maniacal laughter from the emperor.

At this point, you will perhaps wonder what made the princess so fearsome and why her siblings were so obsessively protective of her.  Well, this particular empire had always promoted a vision of 'strength over weakness' and, for this reason, most of members of the nobility tended to prefer to choose their partners from the same social circle. Unfortunately, there were actually not that many families that provided adequate candidates, which led to constant inbreeding. This had manifested in a wide variety of unlikely hair and eye colors—the bubblegum pink of Princess Euphemia's hair still remained genetically unexplainable—but also in a tendency of extreme overprotectiveness of one's closest relations.

Technically speaking, this problem was one that appeared often in the empire, as most nobility encountered it in some shape or form. However, the imperial family had always been hit hardest by this plight. On a regular day, the emperor himself appeared to be sane and the craziest thing about him was the fact that he still believed powdered wigs were in fashion. Nevertheless, he had made the insane decision to take over one hundred wives, which had long ago clued the entire empire in on the fact that he wasn't all there. Also, on top of wrangling his harem, the emperor had his brother to worry about. The brother in question seemed to have taken Emperor Charles's lustful ways quite personally, and it was not unusual for him to hunt down the children and wives Emperor Charles favored, as he deemed them a threat to their brotherly bond. Thus the death of Empress Marianne.

Naturally, this put a strain on their relationship, but Victor zi Britannia had never been one to give up and he persisted in his original strategy.

Princess Leloucia was her father's favorite child. She had inherited much of her mother's looks and skill with weaponry, but also her father's cunning. She also had a propensity for causing huge explosions, although nobody seemed to figure out exactly how she managed to do so.

The natural consequence of this situation was that Leloucia had one crazed obsessive uncle trying to murder her and several desperately overprotective siblings attempting to prevent her demise—although in Schneizel and Cornelia's case, their attitude was just common sense, rather than actual overprotectiveness. Most of the time, at least.

In any case, the imperial family went through a large number of knights in an attempt to guard the prized heiress. None fit the bill, and Schneizel despaired.

In the meantime, our young hero, Suzaku found himself in a different predicament. During his regular work hours, he had been intercepted by a noble who had deemed his skills perfect for a new, revolutionary undertaking that would advance warfare in the.... (At that point, Suzaku had stopped listening).

The noble in question, Earl Asplund, had bodily dragged Suzaku off from his previous post and presented him with the latest knightmare frame, the Lancelot.

Now, our Suzaku would have probably been more worried about strange men making him offers that were too good to be true while shoving him into uniforms that seemed designed to show off his genitals, but like in the case of most young men, his mind stopped working properly when presented with either a. a beautiful woman or b. a giant robot.

Suzaku was extremely good at suppressing his sexual frustration, but his inner child rejoiced upon seeing the robot, and he embraced the opportunity wholeheartedly.

It was only much later that Suzaku realized the only reason why he'd been made the offer in the first place was because the robot in question was very much experimental, and piloting it was tremendously risky. By then, he didn't particularly care about the reason. He just liked his robot, thank you very much.

As it turned out, Suzaku did very well at piloting the Lancelot, so much so that he was actually deployed in combat against the resistance in his kingdom. It didn't feel great to have to fight against the same people who'd once been his family, but it wasn't like he could back down now. Also, his awesome robot rocked and kicked their asses to high heaven. So there.

Suzaku's goal was to gradually make it up the ranks, to change the empire from within and prove that everyone could live together in peace and harmony, no matter what their blood was. Unfortunately for him, the likelihood of this happening outside extreme circumstances was slim to none. In fact, he was far more likely to get blown up by Lloyd's experiments than he was to reach his ambitious, if noble goal.

But our young hero must have had some sort of deity watching out for him—or perhaps an author who was secretly fond of him despite his young and naive ways—because he did not get blown up by his sociopathic superior. Instead, he received a mysterious summons, demanding his presence to the imperial capital of Pendragon.

Unbeknownst to Suzaku, Prince Schneizel was on the edge of a nervous breakdown due to his sister's antics. Princess Cornelia was suffering from her monthly affliction and had retired to her villa, which was understandable and wise, since it was not a good idea for her to roam about in that state. Meanwhile, Prince Clovis was doing his very best to sabotage the security of the palace by organizing orgy after orgy and Princess Marrybell was attempting to poach palace staff for her new Glinda Knights. It was madness.

In a mad attempt to comfort his superior, Earl Kanon Maldini made a suggestion they would later come to regret.

"Perhaps we should look into the possibility of employing an Honorary. Princess Leloucia has proven to be a little more forgiving with the disadvantaged."

Normally, Schneizel would have disregarded the suggestion outright. It was scandalous. How could Princess Leloucia, of all people, take a Number as a knight?

However, Kanon had a point. Leloucia had been less snappish and more permissive with commoners than she was with nobles. It was why Viletta Nu had managed to last six days to begin with, despite her rather... distasteful character.

But who could he possibly trust with his dearest sister?

A memory flashed through Schneizel's mind. There was one person who fit the bill. Suzaku Kururugi.

Lloyd Asplund had sent him the report on the young pilot of the Lancelot. Schneizel had been impressed by Kururugi's piloting skills and mildly amused at the fact that the former prince of Japan was now actively fighting against his own people. He'd briefly wondered if he was perhaps a Trojan horse, before discarding the idea. If the Japanese resistance had wanted to wriggle a spy into the Britannian army, they would not have used Suzaku Kururugi of all people.

Also, Asplund pointed out that the boy, while a talented pilot, seemed to fight purely by instinct and possessed no strategic skills whatsoever.

He would do nicely, until he found another, better option. At the very least, he could provide a meat shield should Victor choose to come after his beautiful, defenseless Leloucia.

 "Kanon," he said, "you are a genius. Get me Lloyd Asplund."

If Kanon was surprised that his prince had listened to his suggestion, he did not show it. Instead, he rushed to follow the command.

The next day, one Suzaku Kururugi arrived at the Pendragon Imperial Palace, the residence of the emperor himself. He still did not know why he had been called here. Earl Asplund had seemed just as confused—well, mostly, he'd seemed troubled that he'd lose the most important 'part' of his knightmare. Cecile had assured him that the reason for the summons could not be bad, which made sense. If he'd been accused of treason or anything similar, they wouldn't have bothered to bring him to Pendragon.

Still, he was nervous, and that nervousness did not decrease when, upon his arrival, he was ushered into a meeting with the White Prince himself, Schneizel. Suzaku knelt in front of the prince, as was expected of him. The prince urged him to rise, but his eyes seemed very sharp and piercing when they zeroed in on Suzaku.

"Warrant Officer Kururugi. You are probably wondering why you were summoned here."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Earl Asplund speaks highly of you. While your service in Area 11 has been noted, I have a far greater task you are needed for. I require you to be my sister's knight."

Naturally, Suzaku was befuddled. He did not think he'd done anything to warrant this kind of attention. Yes, the ASEEC was a division supervised by Prince Schneizel, but that didn't mean his accomplishments so far qualified him for such a task.

His shock must have shown, because Prince Schneizel proceeded to explain the situation. Apparently, the princess was very particular when it came to knights, and Prince Schneizel had trouble finding someone he could trust his sister with. "You've proven to be trustworthy in your participation in a classified project. Do not fail me. The consequences would be most dire."

"I will protect the princess with my life, Your Highness," Suzaku promised.

Prince Schneizel simply arched a perfect, blond brow at him and gave him a mysterious tiny smile. "I am certain that you will."

And just like that, Suzaku was dismissed. The prince summoned a sour-faced attendant named Ms. Lohmeyer and instructed her to take him to see his new charge. After bowing lowly, the woman led Suzaku out of Prince Schneizel's office, practically irradiating distaste.

Ms. Lohmeyer didn't say anything to him. She just guided him to his next destination, like the prince had ordered her to.

Suzaku ignored her palpable hostility. He paid no heed to the way people stared at him, or to the ugly whispers and occasional snickers. This was his chance to prove himself, and he would not fail.

Fortunately, the princess's office was not very far from that of her brother. A stern-looking man with orange eyes demanded their identification, sneered at Suzaku, but apparently deemed their presence satisfactory, because he didn't send them away. Instead, he knocked at the door and politely waited until a soft voice came from inside. "Yes. Enter."

The orange-eyed man opened the door and bowed, "Warrant Officer Suzaku Kururugi, here to see you, Princess Leloucia," he explained.

"Right. See him in then, Jeremiah."

The man—now identified as Jeremiah—complied and gestured for Suzaku to go in. Suzaku entered the princess's office, keeping his stance perfectly straight and his expression level despite the fact that his stomach fluttering with nerves.

He really should have known better than to believe things would be in any way simple.

In front of him, seated at her desk, was the most beautiful creature he had ever beheld. Her pale skin reminded him of the color of the cherry blossoms in the trees around the Kururugi shrine. Her dark hair curled around her cheeks in gentle waves and her eyes shone like bright gemstones, no, like sakuradite.

Never had he been more grateful for the existence of the hideous orange uniform he was wearing today. Had he worn the Lancelot devicer outfit, his status as a knight would have ended very quickly indeed.

Fortunately, the jacket of his uniform covered his groin—and his very rigid erection.

It wasn't that Suzaku was unaccustomed to beautiful women, far from it. Britannian fashion tended to be far more revealing than what Suzaku had been used to as a child, and he'd worked closely with Cecile, whose... assets were not inconsiderable. And unfortunately for him, Suzaku had always had a high libido, which could be problematic.

But despite his numerous flaws—which he was well aware of—Suzaku was actually a very disciplined individual. He had never forgotten the lessons he had been taught by his sensei and he'd always honored that code, even when he'd decided to use his skills in the service of the Britannian army. Alas, as good as he may have been at controlling his sexuality, it all went out the window the moment he set his eyes on Princess Leloucia. And it only got worse when she spoke to him.

"So... You're my new knight," she said, getting up from her seat.

Her voice was like a song, flowing over Suzaku like a physical caress. Now that she was upright, he could actually see the way her black uniform beautifully accentuated her curves.

God damn it, he'd known he shouldn't have forgone sex for giant robots. That decision was coming back to bite him in the ass, big time.

He knelt in front of the princess and bowed his head, struggling to catch his breath. "Warrant Officer Suzaku Kururugi, at your service, Your Highness."

Mercifully, the princess did not seem to notice his lapse. "What has Schneizel told you?" she asked.

 "Simply that I am to be your knight, on a trial basis, Your Highness," Suzaku replied, still keeping his eyes down.

The princess hummed thoughtfully. "I suppose that's accurate enough," she drawled, "although it's a little more complicated than that. Get up."

Suzaku did and forced himself to look up at the princess. She wasn't looking at him, but rather, ruffling through the files on her desk. Suzaku was half-grateful, half-dismayed at that. He really wanted to get another glimpse at those beautiful amethyst eyes. But perhaps it wasn't the best time, not yet.

Princess Leloucia produced a thick folder which she offered to him. "Your debrief," she said curtly.

Suzaku instinctively reached out to take the file, but at the same time, couldn't help but admire the princess's beautiful hands. She had long, elegant fingers, and Suzaku got an unwilling flash of how they'd look around his dick.

Damn it, this was ridiculous. _Get a grip, Suzaku._

Taking a deep breath, Suzaku thought about the least arousing things he could possibly come up with. Cecile's cooking. Lloyd's eerie laughter. His Honorary Britannian training.

No, it needed to be something worse. Todhoh-sensei in a Britannian evening gown. Senba doing a split. His father.

Yeah, all right, that had done it.

Finally clear-headed—and how the hell how he ended up using patricide as a method to cope with sexual arousal?—Suzaku clutched the folder like a lifeline. At first, he wasn't sure he supposed to read it right then and there. He waited a few seconds for more instructions, but when none were forthcoming, he decided that he had no other option and opened the file.

As it turned out, the folder contained several sections, ranging from information on what was expected of him, his duties, assigned weaponry and quarters, to details on the Britannian royal family. They appeared to have been sorted by... threat level?

If this was accurate, he had no idea why someone like him had been picked for such an important task. Still, if he had been trusted with it, he would do his very best to protect the princess. Nobody would ever hurt her on his watch.

When he finally looked up from the file, he found Princess Leloucia watching him closely with those piercing amethyst eyes. "Done?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Any questions?"

Suzaku considered the information in the file and hesitantly nodded. "With your permission, Your Highness, I do have two questions."

"Proceed," the princess replied expectantly.

"What is the level of damage that I am allowed to inflict on possible threats if they are from the imperial family? And I am allowed to keep a pet?"

For a few seconds, the princess just stared at him. Then, much to his surprise, she burst into bright peals of laughter.

She had a beautiful laugh, much like everything else about her. It seemed to light up the room, reminding him of the way the inside of the Lancelot flared to life when the machine was turned on. Lovely, electric, infectious.

Suzaku allowed himself the luxury to revel in the sound, enjoying the lightness it brought to his heart. When the princess's chuckles faded into a soft smile, he found himself feeling far better and more optimistic about this strange new situation he was in.

"Having a pet is not against the rules, but do you think you have the time for it?" Princess Leloucia asked, her tone a little more serious, but still holding a dose of amusement.

"I have a cat," Suzaku quickly explained. "He's pretty independent, really, so time constraints shouldn't be a problem."

"Well, then, if that's the case, I certainly don't mind. Keep your cat, Kururugi."

Suzaku beamed. Sure, Arthur made it his business to attack Suzaku on a regular basis, but Suzaku didn't care. He seemed to be making progress with the feline. There was less angry hissing and clawing these days and more slight biting. He would have given Arthur up for the sake of his new duties, of course, but he was glad he didn't have to.

"As for your first question," the princess continued, "By all means, be as violent in your duties as you deem it necessary."

Awesome.

First a big robot, then apparently, a nice shiny sword and a gun. And he got to keep his feline friend too. Things were finally looking up for our young hero.

Sure, he'd have to deal with a huge amount of sexual frustration, but maybe he could just take it out with some good old-fashioned ass-kicking of the princess's enemies. That sounded like a good solution.

"I understand, Your Highness. Thank you, Your Highness."

The princess shot him one last bemused smile. "Not a problem, Kururugi. Now go on. Report to the armory. They'll outfit you with everything you need there and show you to your quarters. Once you're done settling in, come back here. Dismissed."

Suzaku saluted and quickly left the room as he'd been bid. It was only after he left the office that it occurred to him that he had no idea where the armory was actually located.

Sigh. It looked like getting used to this job would take a little longer than he'd hoped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Btw, in case you're wondering, Lulu's uniform is like the female version of the Julius Kingsley outfit (with a skirt).


	2. In Which Worthiness is Tested

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, as promised, I wrote the second chapter of this insane thing. I hope you like it. Kudos and comments are love!

When Suzaku Kururugi first made his appearance in the Imperial Palace, nobody expected him to last long in Princess Leloucia's service. He was only a Number, and not a very high ranking one at that. He couldn't possibly succeed where everyone else had failed.

Much to the dismay of most everyone in Pendragon, though, the princess did not dismiss him. In fact, Suzaku Kururugi became a permanent fixture in all of the princess's meetings, trailing behind her like a faithful, loyal dog.

He didn't say much. The only words he ever seemed to utter were variations on the theme of, "Yes, Your Highness," including astounding examples like, "Yes, My Lady," or miracles like, "I live to serve/I understand, Princess Leloucia."

There was soon a bet going on in the palace on whether Suzaku Kururugi was actually a human being or simply a machine Lloyd Asplund had invented because he couldn't find an adequate enough pilot for his new knightmare.

Upon hearing of the theory, Lloyd cursed himself for not having come up with the idea himself. Alas, he doubted a robot would be as efficient as Kururugi. Despite the boy's human and thus very flawed nature, he remained the best pilot Lloyd had ever seen. Mercifully, the princess had allowed him to continue to be a devicer for the Lancelot, and had even provided Lloyd with a little extra something for the budget once she had found out the frame didn't have an ejection seat.

Lloyd actually did consider using that money for other things—he had a great idea for an improvement to the Varis and he and Cecile had been talking about energy wings—but one glare from the princess had quickly put that idea on the back burner. He did however make a mental note to build that robot. He might be a sociopath, but he did have some common sense, and he didn't want to be left without a basic part should Kururugi ever find his unfortunate demise at the princess's hands.

For the most part, our young hero was oblivious to such talk. In fact, he couldn't have been happier about his new job. Yes, he was at the Imperial Palace in Pendragon, where 99% of the people hated him. Yes, he was acting as a test pilot for the new and very dangerous experimental frame and a guard for the treasured and very dangerous princess Leloucia. But said princess made everything worthwhile.

He had to admit that in the first days of their acquaintance he had probably not made the best impression. Their first meeting had gone well, but after that, things had become much more difficult. Princess Leloucia had repeatedly questioned his intelligence, the reason for his existence and Schneizel's sanity for having inflicted him upon her. However, he was not dismissed, and Suzaku soon started to understand why.

Princess Leloucia was just like Arthur. Yes, she clawed and hissed angrily, and she was dangerous, but she could be coaxed out of her shell if one just knew how to handle her.

Thankfully, Suzaku had a very thick skin and had been called worse than a bumbling idiot who was dropped on his head too many times as a child. Indeed, as insults went, the princess's comments were moderately mild. If nothing else, she'd never relegated him to anything less than human, which spoke volumes of her character and just made him more determined to win her over.

There was only one way to do this. He had to pay attention and use his brain for a change. Which was a little more difficult for our hero than would have been for other people. He wasn't actually an idiot. He just tended to... not think much. But while doing that had worked well enough so far and gotten him through training as an Honorary, it clearly did not suffice for a princess's knight. As a knight, he was required to be more.

So he dusted off distant memories of protocol and strategy taught to him by a pained Kirihara, dug out what little information he'd been given during training on stealth missions, wriggled a few details out of the ever dutiful Cecile and he was all set.

He was repaid for his efforts when, a week into his knighthood, the princess asked him, "So, how have you been adjusting to palace life? What do you make of the people in the folder I gave you?"

"Pendragon is quite beautiful, Your Highness," he replied. "And I can prepare a detailed report on the latter issue, should you wish to see it."

The princess blinked. He had surprised her. "Actually, yes. Bring it to me tomorrow."

He did. The next day, he provided her with a folder just as thick as the one she'd given him upon his arrival.

Paradoxically, despite the fact that Suzaku's presence tended to be eye-catching, most people still saw him as nothing more than furniture or, better said, a rather well-trained animal. Therefore, when he wasn't in the princess's company, they had no real qualms in talking about things they wouldn't have normally said in the presence of the knight of a royal.

The service staff was particularly guilty of this. They always had the juiciest gossip, were less disciplined than the military and even more oblivious to his presence than soldiers if he ducked in a shadowy corner or something like that.

This was why Suzaku's report contained more information on the princess's family than the princess herself had offered, although its true validity and value was questionable. He wasn't sure how much it was worth it to Princess Leloucia that her sister Guinevere had needed to change her headboard again due to her foray into rough sex and her step-mother Gabrielle had decided to take up knitting. Nevertheless, he jotted it all down. If nothing else, this sort of thing could be useful should the princess ever want to give them a present or something. It was unlikely, but stranger things had happened.

He had, however, sorted each item in a list of what he deemed most relevant. He hoped the princess would not think he was wasting her time.

He held his breath while he waited for her assessment. When she looked up from the folder, she was smiling. "This is quite impressive, Suzaku. It would appear that your qualities go beyond you having nice eyes."

It was the first time she had ever called him by his name, rather than Kururugi. To top it off, she had complimented his eyes. It was an excellent sign. The Alpha male inside Suzaku preened at having pleased his female. He quickly squashed the thought before it could take root and result in more fantasies and dreams about bondage play than he was already having and offered his humble thanks to the princess.

Either way, Suzaku's theory was thus confirmed. He could not give treats to the princess like he did to Arthur, but paperwork was just as efficient. Well, maybe not paperwork per se, but rather, information. In fact, as long as something provided insight into any aspect of the palace, the princess loved to hear about it.

"It's actually very difficult to get information from an unfiltered source in the palace," she explained. "Even the people who are loyal to me decide to only give me bits and pieces. It's quite frustrating. This will be very helpful indeed."

"I live to serve, Your Highness," Suzaku dutifully replied. "Anything you desire, I will provide."

She offered him a smile, and if he had actually been a dog like so many claimed, he would have been wagging his tail so hard his entire bottom half would be shaking.

With his status at the princess's side a little more secure, Suzaku's days became a mix of uneventful, enjoyable and torturous. He was the one to wake her up in the mornings, although for the moment, he had not been asked to actually enter her bedchambers—perhaps a good thing for his sanity. After that, he was required to stay with the princess throughout work hours. He wasn't sure what she actually did, but she often worked on files far thicker than any he could have provided. He was by her side whenever she left the office, be it for meals, meetings or on the occasional, rare break. Once she retired, he occasionally dropped by the ASEEC to put in some hours with the Lancelot.

The most important thing was that the princess seemed to enjoy his presence, and did not appear to be very likely to dismiss him anytime soon. In fact, she slowly warmed up to him and actually began to make the occasional joking comment. The smiles began to appear more often and Suzaku began to feel even warmer and more fluttery inside.

Now, one would think that this was precisely the perfect time for an evil doer to intervene and attack the beautiful princess and her lovestruck knight. However, this is a crack story and the author has decided to wait before introducing insane midgets. So instead, our young not-quite couple simply... coexisted and bonded, much to the dismay of everyone around them.

Well, everyone except the Emperor, who was currently busy deciding who his next consort should be through the foolproof method of drawing straws.

Finally, halfway through the fourth week of Suzaku's trial month, once it became obvious that Leloucia had already made her decision, a concerned Cornelia staged a meeting with the parties most interested in the situation—that is, her siblings.

"Schneizel, I don't know what you were thinking when you brought that Number here," she said with a fierce glower. "His presence by Leloucia's side is a travesty."

Guinevere nodded, crossing her arms over her barely covered chest. "I concur. Just seeing him around the palace is an eyesore."

"Oh, I don't know," Clovis said, twirling a rose around his long fingers. "A Number he might be, but he is rather visually appealing."

"Clovis!" Cornelia hissed. "Now is not the time for such talk. Besides, the last thing we want is a handsome Number next to Leloucia."

A vein throbbed in Schneizel's forehead at the implication behind the statement. It had not occurred to him until now, but it was true that Kururugi was attractive. Moreover, he seemed to have managed to ingratiate himself into her favor where everybody else had failed. Leloucia refused to tell him why she accepted him when she'd denied everybody else. His attempts to wriggle out information had been met with resounding failures and mysterious, teasing remarks. If he had led the proverbial wolf to his innocent and delicate little sister, he would never forgive himself.

He took a deep breath, summoning the last vestiges of the famed calm that made him so good at wrangling both foreign leaders and crazed relatives. "I think it is safe to say that at this time, it is unlikely that she will turn him away without anything drastic happening." Marrybell opened her mouth, but Schneizel shook his head before she could even utter her predictable suggestion. "No, we can't get rid of him... violently. Leloucia would know and she would be furious."

"He was only a Warrant Officer before this whole debacle," Cornelia said. "Perhaps we can suggest that upon reflection, we fear he may not be completely qualified."

Schneizel considered the suggestion carefully. "We will stage a competition." His lips twisted into a smile that made shiver course over the spines of everyone in the room. "And I know exactly how to do it."

The next day, for unknown reasons, the Emperor decided that, before Suzaku Kururugi could be officially inducted as the knight of his treasured daughter, he needed to prove himself in combat against the best warriors of the land.

Upon hearing the news, Leloucia instantly sensed her brother's interference in the matter. Damn Schneizel. He was always so overprotective, in all the wrong ways. It had been him who had picked Suzaku out first, but now that she actually liked the young knight, he was a threat and he needed to be removed.

Never mind that their uncle was still technically a problem.

Men were idiots.

"Do not fret, Princess," Suzaku told her with an earnest look in his bright green eyes. "They are not wrong. It is only fair that I prove myself worthy of the title of being your knight. I will not fail you."

Leloucia melted a little inside at his words. She would never admit it out loud, but whenever he looked at her like that, she was torn between the urge to coo at him like he was a particularly adorable puppy and the desire to tear his clothes off and lick him all over.

What? She might be a princess, but she had needs, damn it. And with Schneizel always hovering and even monitoring her purchases, she hadn't even be able to acquire something simple like a dildo.

Determination rose inside Leloucia. She had made her choice and she would not be thwarted. Throughout this month, Suzaku had more than eloquently proven that he was loyal to her and her alone—which had always been what she'd wanted. He was far too guileless to fool her and his devotion, no matter how unexplainable, was true. His loyalty wasn't with Britannia as a whole, like in the case of Gino Weinberg, to the Emperor, like Monica, or even to the vi Britannia line, like Jeremiah. It was Leloucia as an individual that Suzaku was interested in. Certainly, he had his own goals, something which must have made him join the Britannian army despite him being the son of the late Genbu Kururugi, but that wasn't a bad thing. Self-interest was definitely something Leloucia could understand, even if in this instance, the reasoning behind Suzaku's actions was unclear.

Taking that into account and the fact that, quite frankly, he made for amazing eye-candy, he was the perfect knight. She would not lose him to Schneizel's absurdity.

Nodding to herself, Leloucia walked to her knight's side. "I believe you," she said with a smile. Without allowing herself to hesitate—because she never hesitated once she made a decision—she leaned in closer and brushed a kiss over his cheek. "For luck. And once you win, you'll get a prize."

She whispered the latter words in his ear, leaving no doubt as to the scandalous meaning. She'd never actively flirted with anyone before, but she thought that would do to encourage him. Hopefully, she wasn't off base and he did think she was attractive.

(At this point, it should be said that despite her intelligence, Leloucia was not the best at interpreting the response of the general population of Pendragon to her physical attributes. But, well... Nobody was perfect.)

Meanwhile, Suzaku just stood there in a mix of awe and explosive arousal. He had stoically endured being by her side every day, watching each graceful motion, smelling the sweet scent of her perfume. It was torture, but one he eagerly embraced, for it meant he could remain with her and protect her from her foes.

He could never have imagined that she would return his interest. She was the beloved Princess Leloucia, the emperor's favorite daughter. He was only a Number, here by a fluke and almost universally hated. Why would his princess kiss him of all people?

As you can imagine, given his less-than-ideal existence, our poor Suzaku didn't have the best self-esteem, so his conclusion and answer to that question was that this couldn't possibly be happening in reality. So he did what he normally did in the dreams that haunted his nights. Before the princess pulled away, he reached for her, pulled her close and crushed their mouths together in a real and very filthy kiss.

Leloucia had just enough time to be shocked at her knight's unexpectedly strong response before her brilliant brain yielded to the onslaught and she melted against him.

The kiss was just as magical as could be expected in a story with the tag "fairytale elements". Leloucia might not have been Sleeping Beauty, but she was very willing. Suzaku's tongue was doing very interesting thing in her mouth and she really wanted to see what it could do elsewhere. As for Suzaku himself... Well, his full focus was on her taste, her scent, the feel of her breasts against his chest. All the awkwardness that might have appeared due to inexperience vanished in the flare of their shared passion—and because, quite honestly, the author's headcanon is that Suzaku is secretly a sex god in the making.

Alas, Suzaku did not get the chance to prove these informed skills. Just as he was getting ready to progress past the slightly vanilla lip-lock, it occurred to him that at this point in his fantasies, his lovely princess was usually already nude. Realization dawned and he tore his lips away from Leloucia's, his eyes wide in horror.

Oh, God, oh, God. He'd practically sexually assaulted his princess. He had no shame and no excuse. He was a disgrace. He should commit seppuku on the spot.

He fell to his knees, ready to do exactly that. The princess intervened before anything unnecessarily dramatic could occur. "Don't," she said. "Don't apologize. It's all right."

Suzaku looked up at her, his green eyes swimming with tears. If Leloucia had been inclined to blame him for his impulsive behavior, she would have folded right then and there. "Princess... I don't deserve such mercy."

"Don't be silly. It's not mercy." Leloucia licked her lower lip, and Suzaku's body responded to the unconscious gesture, much to his shame and dismay. "We'll just call this episode a natural response."

The sentence managed to shake Suzaku out of his stupor. "Natural response?" he repeated.

"Yes, of course. Let's face it. Technically, it was my idea." She blushed a little at the admittance, but didn't look away. "I am pleased to see your enthusiasm, so you don't need to worry about having offended me." She paused slightly, watching him with a keen amethyst gaze. Finally, she added, "However, you must win the competition first before you acquire your prize."

Suzaku let out a choked noise, his eyes going a little glazed, like he was hypnotized. Then, renewed determination replaced simple arousal. He reached for her hand and kissed it. "I understand, Your Highness. I will win."

Elsewhere, Cornelia shivered, suddenly having a very foreboding feeling. She wondered if maybe her damn uncle was planning something ominous again. She'd have to bring some extra throwing knives with her the next time she went out. And an extra large gun. The XXL one that aroused Guilford whenever she pulled it out. Being careful never hurt and Victor was crafty. She wouldn't put it past him to use this chance to get to Leloucia.

It never occurred to Cornelia that it would have been simpler to just allow Leloucia to have her Numbered knight. And it definitely didn't occur to her that the result to their scheme would be entirely different from what they expected.

The combat tournament happened precisely one month after Suzaku's arrival in Pendragon. To prove himself, Suzaku would have to fight most of the people who had been Leloucia's knights before. Already aware that Suzaku was a skilled Knightmare pilot, Schneizel had arranged for all the battles to be swordfights.

It was very unfair, since Suzaku was slated to fight one opponent after another. By the time he even reached the last person, he would presumably be tired out from previous combat. Furthermore, Honorary Britannian training was rather lacking in term of swordplay. Honoraries were taught how to shoot and wield a sword, but never with the intention that this training would actually be used much. There was a distinctive imbalance between Suzaku's education and that of Britannian nobility.

But Britannians had never cared about being fair, and in this instance, they pretty much just wanted to see the empire's strongest warriors make sport out the Number who had dared to accomplish what none of them had, earn Princess Leloucia's attention.

To add insult to injury, the whole thing was held in a stadium, in front of a massive crowd. Presumably, to humiliate Suzaku. There was already jeering when Suzaku entered the arena.

Suzaku did not care about their opinion, though. He was more than a little ready to kick the asses of the ones who dared to stand between and his princess. By now, Suzaku's death wish had made a permanent exit, replaced by a far greater desire. He very much looked forward to his prize and to be with Leloucia forever. Nobody, nobody would get in his way.

Since this was about the title of Leloucia's knight, Suzaku's challengers came in the order of how much time they'd spent with her, from least to most. As such, Luciano Bradley was the first. He was a vile man who had attempted to get a rise out of Suzaku more than once during his stay at the palace. He looked forward to goring Kururugi in front of the whole stadium.

It was only when he was actually standing in front of Kururugi that a trickle of uncertainty coursed over his spine. Kururugi's face was unreadable and his eyes piercing and cold. Something about them made Luciano wary.

But Luciano had never been a coward, or a very smart man, and he abandoned caution in the favor of his original plan—bloodshed. Suffice to say, it did not end well for him. Oh, blood was shed. It just wasn't Suzaku's.

It happened like this. Charles—who had miraculously foregone his quest for a new consort and decided to actually move his ass from the palace for once—got up from his throne-like seat. Just like that, the stadium went quiet.

"All men are not created equal," he bellowed. Around him, three quarters of his children mentally sighed. Cornelia and Schneizel in particular desperately wished they could fast forward through this part, just so that they could get to the one they were interested in, removing the damn Number from Leloucia's side.

"Some are born swifter afoot, some with greater beauty. Some are born into poverty and other born sick and feeble. Both in birth and in upbringing, in sheer scope of ability, every human is inherently different. Yes, that is why people discriminate against one another, why they struggle and compete.

"Long has my daughter Leloucia been the most eloquent example of this. Long has she demonstrated her superiority over the insects that surround us. Who would then be deserving to protect her, to stand by her side as her guardian? Today, we will see the answer to that question. Warrant Officer Suzaku Kururugi claims the right to be her knight. Let us see then if he has the strength to succeed."

And just like that, he sat down. Most of the people in the stadium were shocked Charles could end a speech without shouting, "All Hail Britannia!" In fact, they were all so distracted that they completely missed the fact that, during the speech, Leloucia actually winked at Suzaku. The fire inside our young hero's breast burned brighter. He would smite all of his opponents and he would claim his prize.

Yes, Suzaku did have interesting priorities and an interesting take on incentive, but he was very young, so perhaps that wasn't surprising.

Either way, the effects showed as soon as Charles gestured for the fight to start. It was just like in knightmare combat, only without the giant robots.

Suzaku Kururugi, boner boost, launch!

Luciano never even saw Suzaku coming. He lunged forward with a maniacal grin, but his sword hit the ground where Suzaku had been before. Suzaku had already moved right. [Spinning in the air, he delivered a beautiful, effortless and physically impossible blow to Luciano's face.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eE_OyajXGfM)

The Vampire of Britannia went down like a rock and didn't get up.

The first battle was over so quickly most people didn't get the chance to see what had actually happened.

The silence that followed was broken by the applause of Leloucia vi Britannia herself. From his seat, Lloyd joined in, whooping, "That's my favorite devicer! I've seen him do that in the Lancelot. Fascinating, isn't it? He uses the Lancelot as an extension of his own body."

The noble standing next to him gave him a look that clearly illustrated his—correct—opinion of the state of Lloyd's mental faculties. Meanwhile, well aware of the dangers of Leloucia's temper, one Schneizel el Britannia chose his battles and started to clap too. There were more fights ahead anyway. Surely Kururugi couldn't win them all.

Famous last... words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part of the emperor's speech is taken from the one he makes at Clovis's funeral in the anime. Gabrielle is one of Charles's consorts and Clovis's mother. And in case anyone missed it (which is doubtful, but I'll say it anyway), the boner boost thing is a reference to what Cecile usually says when the Lancelot is launched.


	3. In Which Someone Unexpected Ships It

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for being MIA a bit. I promise I haven't forgotten about my fics. I am still working on the Rise of the Unholy Trinity, but I've stumbled into a mild complication there and then I've had RL work to do, so yeah...  
> I will do my very best to update that one too. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this update.

Following the quick defeat of Luciano Bradley, a random minion came and dragged the unconscious man away. Kewell Soresi took Bradley's place. He fared mildly better, if only because he was forewarned of the fact that Kururugi was far more dangerous than he looked. It still took Suzaku less than a minute to knock him out.

Honestly, Suzaku was a little appalled. Were these really the people whom Prince Schneizel had originally chosen to protect his beloved princess? If so, it was no wonder she had rejected them. They were useless.

Of course, things got a little more difficult as the fights went on. Princess Cornelia's Glaston Knights were crushed, but Viletta Nu put up a good fight. She was faster and smarter than Suzaku expected. She still didn't actually manage to land a hit, but she was more of a challenge than previous opponents. He dislocated her shoulder, broke her leg and knocked her unconscious when she fell.

The situation was similar when the Rounds rolled in. Gino Weinberg had the skill, but not the speed, and Suzaku took him out with a fair amount of ease, breaking only his arm in the process, then knocking him out with the butt of the sword.

Nonnette Enneagram and Monica Krushevsky were vicious. With them, Suzaku actually had to put in more effort and make more use of his sword. He'd mostly used it to block their blows before, since he wanted to keep the maiming to the minimum and keep the fights brief to save energy. But if they wanted to challenge him, well, let it not be said he would ever hold back while defending his position by his princess's side.

Since the two female Rounds were unwise enough to be a threat, they got to actually taste the sword of the heir of the Kururugi family. Nonnette got the worst of it, a pretty serious slash wound across the chest. Monica fared mildly better, since Suzaku slashed her arm, causing her to drop her sword.

Either way, from knight to knight, Suzaku won again and again. In the stands above, Leloucia cheered for her chosen champion. She didn't say it out loud, but she was a little wet.

Unbeknownst to her, so was her sister Euphemia. She bemoaned the fact that she could not claim Suzaku Kururugi as her own knight, but not all was lost. Leloucia was not a very sexual creature. Euphie could still seduce him, once this whole farce with the duels was over. Yes, she very much looked forward to having him in her bed. All that strength, at her disposal. Delicious.

Euphie shivered in anticipatory delight. By her side, Cornelia gave her beloved sister a concerned look. This was exactly why she had not wanted Euphie to come. This sort of display was not for Euphie's delicate sensibilities. And that Number beast was undoubtedly scaring her now. A part of Cornelia—the one that was pure warrior—admired Kururugi's visible skill, though, and she was now on the fence about the best solution about this situation. She'd have to give it more thought if he won the last fight.

Jeremiah Gottwald was the final challenger. He was torn between admiration, outrage and jealousy. Jeremiah was completely convinced that his loyalty to the princess could not be matched by anyone, and he did not understand why she had picked Kururugi over him. In his heart, he accepted her wisdom over his own feelings, but that didn't mean he wasn't angry and he didn't want to knock the Number down a few pegs. Perhaps it was not too late to change the princess's mind and have her pick him instead.

Jeremiah was a seasoned fighter and an excellent swordsman. He had spent the past hour or so watching Kururugi fight. As expected, Kururugi showed a preference for unarmed combat and only fell onto using his sword when he had to. His main advantage was his speed.

Simple logic stated that Jeremiah had to slow Kururugi down, and that was exactly what he tried. Of course, that logic held a fallacy—which was the fact that he'd actually have to get a good blow in to cripple our young hero enough to make a difference.

The thing about Suzaku Kururugi which most people didn't understand was that he fought by instinct. This meant that he was naturally very adaptable during combat, and he responded to everything the other person did rather than stick to a predetermined course of action. Naturally, there were ways to predict his ingrained responses, but only people who knew him very well could discern his patterns, or identify the fact that there was even a pattern at all. Furthermore, Suzaku had trained from a very young age under Miracle Todhoh, and Britannians didn't really see that kind of fighting anywhere.

And so, despite his best efforts, Jeremiah was unable to hit his target. Suzaku danced out of the way, pivoted on his heel and struck out with his blade. Jeremiah blocked the blow and reared back, surprised at the strength behind it. Kururugi didn't look that big, but apparently every inch of him was muscle. God damn it.

With a grunt of effort, Jeremiah pushed him back and launched a counter-attack. Instead of meeting his sword, Suzaku slid to the ground and targeted Jeremiah's legs. Jeremiah stumbled and narrowly managed not to fall. By the time he regained his balance, it was too late. His guard was down. Suzaku delivered one of his signature spinning kicks to Jeremiah's chest. Pain exploded through Jeremiah and he collapsed, clutching his aching ribs.

In the stands, the royal family applauded. "Oh, that looked like it hurt!" Clovis said with a laugh.

"Pretty sure he must have broken two ribs there," Marrybell offered in a deadpan tone.

Cornelia rubbed her eyes. She had no idea what kind of fighting she had seen, since some of those maneuvers seemed impossible for a human body. Either way, there was no point in trying to pretend the Number wouldn't be a good knight for her sister.

Schneizel was of a similar mind. Despite his dislike of the idea of having Kururugi next to his lovely Leloucia, the fact remained that she did need a protector and Kururugi appeared to be the best option they could find.

Truly, if he had realized it before, he would have never done this to begin with, since they had given away some of their advantage to their uncle. Oh, well. It couldn't be helped any longer.

Meanwhile, Charles zi Britannia was contemplating the potential of this situation. The boy had proved to be quite interesting. When Schneizel had suggested this idea, Charles had decided to investigate Kururugi Genbu's son a bit more, and he had not been disappointed. He might not necessarily understand the boy's reasoning, but he approved of someone who disregarded idiotic ideas like morality and honor for the benefit of power.

Also, those spinning kicks had been really impressive, and for all his flaws, Charles did actually reward superiority where it existed.

 He could use Kururugi. The boy would do nicely.

In fact, given the fact that he had kicked the asses of most of his Rounds, it wouldn't hurt to add something a little extra.

Charles had long puzzled over who could possibly be deserving of the hand of his most precious daughter. Certainly, it was in part due to a degree of paternal affection and pride, but mostly because he could not waste Leloucia's genetic potential on someone unworthy.

The most likely candidate he'd had in mind had been Bismarck. However, Bismarck's age had been an issue, as it would undoubtedly limit the number of children Leloucia could produce.

Kururugi could be the solution to his problems. A child with Leloucia's intelligence and Kururugi's physique would be the next step in the evolution of man. Sure, there was the chance that it would not happen instantly, but that was why multiple attempts were necessary, and both Kururugi and Leloucia were young. They had plenty of time to breed and produce the next generation of Britannia geniuses.

Not to mention that the boy did technically come from nobility. Most Britannians might see Kururugi as only another monkey, but Charles knew better. The Kururugi line was just as old as Charles's own, and had Britannia not taken Japan, the boy would have technically been first prince of a sovereign nation. Not a bad match.

Of course, for the moment, Kururugi was not the first prince of anything. He was still just an Honorary, and so Charles couldn't hand his daughter over to him on a silver platter. There was, however, something else he could do.

As Kururugi knocked Sir Gottwald out, effectively ending the duel and the competition, Charles got up. The entire crowd—the imperial family included—seemed to be holding their breaths.

For once, Charles was not overly verbose. "I present to you, Sir Suzaku Kururugi, the Knight of Seven and my daughter's personal knight."

It would be perfectly acceptable for a Rounds who'd proven himself to marry his daughter in a year or so. In the meantime, he would have Kururugi fight Bismarck. If Bismarck proved to be superior, Charles would give him Leloucia. Eventually, if fertility became an issue, he could always dissolve the marriage and find someone else for her. If Kururugi won, Leloucia would be his. Yes, that was a good idea.

But for the moment, making Kururugi a Rounds would suffice. He would discuss the other matter with Leloucia in private. After all, there would probably be a lot of shouting involved—she was so much like Marianne—and it wouldn't do for the people to see him cower in the face of his daughter's anger.

Suzaku stared up at the emperor in disbelief. He did not know what to make of this. As far as he knew, it was not possible for someone to be both a Rounds and a personal knight of somebody else, since technically, the Rounds were the personal knights of the emperor.

But it was not his place to question that, even if in his heart, he would have preferred to hold the title of his princess's knight alone. So he did the only thing he could do, knelt and bowed his head. "Thank you for this honor, Your Majesty. I will not fail you."

Leloucia was torn between anger, confusion and excitement. Suzaku was her knight, not her father's. How dare the emperor try to poach him? It frustrated her beyond belief.

Of course, there was the fact that Charles could have simply made Suzaku a Rounds alone and not assigned him to Leloucia at all. This inexplicable "in between" situation made her wonder what in the world her father was thinking. Whatever it was, she feared she would not like it.

Still, it meant Suzaku would be a Rounds, and that was excellent for him. Leloucia was not selfish enough to not realize how much that would mean for Suzaku's position. Being a Rounds went way beyond being the personal knight of a princess, even a favored one like Leloucia.

Either way, she would just have to use this as an opportunity and make sure her father didn't try to separate them in some way in the future. Sigh. This meant her plans to remove Victor permanently would have to wait, since he was technically the reason why she needed a knight to begin with.

Schneizel did not have such dilemmas. He was simply furious with his father. He could understand the logic of having Kururugi as Leloucia's knight, but making him a Rounds put him in a far more influential position. And he feared that he could see his father's reasoning too.

If the emperor did indeed plan to do something drastic like marry Leloucia to Kururugi, Schneizel would probably abandon all sanity, take Kanon, kidnap Leloucia and move to Australia. No other option seemed available.

As for Euphemia... She mentally did a happy dance. With the handsome young Number a Rounds, the obstacles to their destined love were now reduced to one: Leloucia.

She would just have to find a way to get rid of her sister without jeopardizing Suzaku's life and position.

Sigh. That would be difficult, wouldn't it? If she tried to do it alone, at least. Leloucia was much too dangerous for Euphie to handle on her own.

Normally, if Euphie wanted something or perceived a threat, she would just go to Cornelia and the problem would be solved. Clearly, she couldn't do that now. Perhaps her uncle could help?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> P.S. Yes, I know Suzaku is stupidly OP in this fic. Shhh. Let me have this.


	4. In Which Prizes are Given and Plans are Made

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! I've wanted to update this fic for a while, but I had my hands full with other stuff. Hope you like it :) As always, kudos and comments are love and much appreciated.

The Emperor and the rest of the imperial family left the stands shortly after Charles announced Suzaku would be a Rounds. Naturally, Suzaku took this as his cue that it was time for him to go as well. He was supposed to always be by his princess's side. Also, he was looking forward to his prize.

Unfortunately for our young and very horny hero, it was not to be. Before he could meet up with Leloucia, he was intercepted by the pink-haired Knight of Six.

Anya Alstreim was a bit of an oddity. She was far too young even by the somewhat lax standards of the Britannian army. From what Suzaku had heard, she had earned her position as the Knight of Six largely due to her being an excellent Knightmare pilot and the apprentice of the previous Knight of Six, Marianne vi Britannia (who was incidentally, Leloucia's mother).

She was the only one out of Leloucia's previous knights who had not fought him in a physical duel. Suzaku was kind of grateful for that, because he would have felt bad at having to hit a girl who looked more like a porcelain doll than a soldier. He'd have done it, since he knew better than to underestimate anyone, but he'd have felt bad about it.

Anya shot him a look that could have meant anything at all, took a photo of him with a strange device that Suzaku didn't recognize and said, "Come with me."

Suzaku instantly started to protest. "But I should go see the princess..."

"You have to go to the infirmary before you can do that," Anya cut him off. "Then, you will need to gather your things and move to the quarters of the Rounds. Since everyone else is either unconscious, out on duty, or with His Majesty, I have to escort you through it."

Suzaku mentally sighed. He did not see why this was necessary, but he supposed that, despite the emperor's surprising generosity, he couldn't expect people to trust him so quickly. He also couldn't expect the Rounds to just welcome him with open arms after he had beaten them. Anyway, he didn't let the thought bother him. As far as he could tell, his main role would still remain that of his princess's knight, so his mission for today had been a success. Only the princess's opinion mattered. Everyone else was irrelevant.

Suzaku's determination to ignore any unpleasantness turned out to be useless. Anya didn't make any snide comment like other Britannians had in the past and she didn't seem particularly put out at being stuck with him. As they headed toward the exit of the stadium, she kept her eyes mostly on her device, somehow managing to expertly navigate through the crowd of people despite the fact that she didn't seem to be paying attention.

Suzaku made a mental note that she may indeed be far more dangerous than she appeared.

As it turned out, part of the reason why Anya was there to begin with was because the stadium's infirmary could not accommodate his presence. Suzaku suspected it wasn't so much because of a lack of space, but rather due to the potential conflicts that may appear due to the other patients being treated.

Instead, Anya took him to a special infirmary reserved solely for the Rounds. He was ushered into a private room marked with a blue label that read "the Knight of Seven". One he settled in, a gaggle of doctors burst inside, ganging up on him.

It was overall, very confusing, especially since Suzaku didn't deem it necessary. He had a few scrapes and bruises, but nothing that required too much attention.

Also, why in the world had they decided drawing blood was necessary?

Unbeknownst to our young hero, this was just another step in Charles zi Britannia's plan to make sure his favored daughter's possible fiancé was appropriate. After all, it wouldn't do for Kururugi to have some sort of genetic anomaly that would make him unfit to be the father of Leloucia's offspring.

Anya abandoned him in the clutches of the doctors. She returned two hours or so later, with Gino Weinberg, Nonnette Enneagram and Monica Krushevsky in tow.

They did look a little worse for the wear and had probably escaped their own infirmary rooms to come here. However, they did not seem particularly offended or angered at their loss.

"Hi!" Gino said, waving his unbroken arm, the other one already being in a cast. "We just wanted to drop by for a minute to bid you an official welcome. I'm Gino."

"Monica Krushevsky," the Knight of Twelve introduced herself. "Welcome."

"I'm Nonnette," the slightly older Knight of Nine said, smiling despite the bandages slightly visible through her hospital clothes. "Welcome to the Rounds."

"Anya Alstreim," the Knight of Six belatedly added, like she had just remembered not having done so earlier.

"Err... Thank you for having me," Suzaku replied automatically. "Suzaku Kururugi."

"We know," Gino said, grinning. "I have to say, you've caused quite a stir."

"Most of us didn't think you were deserving of defending the princess," Monica continued, her voice a little more stern, "but for my part, I'm happy to have been proven wrong."

"Also, that spinning kick to Luciano's face?" Nonnette gave him a thumbs up. "Priceless."

Wait, what?

His confusion must have shown, because Nonnette went on to explain, "Everybody hates Luciano. I think even his own attendants look forward to the day he finally meets his demise. Unfortunately, that hasn't happened yet, so in the meantime, we'll have to be content with the rare, happy moments when we see people kicking his ass."

"It's a shame we probably won't have another competition like this one anytime soon," Gino said. "I wouldn't mind you breaking my arm again if I got to watch Luciano falling like that. Dorothea will hate having missed it."

"It's all right," Anya said. "I filmed every second of it. We can replay it when she comes back from Euro-Britannia. I'll make popcorn."

Suzaku half-thought they were all playing a prank on him, but he didn't see why they would bother. He might be a Rounds now, but that didn't mean they had to jump through any hoops and be extra friendly to him.

"Besides," Anya added, "Luciano will probably try to hunt Suzaku once he recovers. So we might get to have some fun yet."

Cancel that. They weren't nice at all.

Suzaku decided he might as well play along. It wasn't like he particularly minded the extra violence. "I'm not worried," he said with a shrug. "It's not like I can't take anything he can throw at me."

"Do you mean that literally?" Monica asked. "Luciano has a propensity for throwing daggers, you know?"

Suzaku rolled his eyes. "Like he'd ever be able to hit me. Please. He's tried before and missed. I gave the extra daggers to Earl Asplund to use them as raw material for the Lancelot."

He had considered offering them to Princess Leloucia, but had decided that it would worry her unnecessarily. Lloyd was always amused when Suzaku did something like that, though.

"Oh, I do like you," Nonnette said. "We'll get along just fine, I think."

Unbeknownst to the Knight of Nine, the Knight of One—who was currently in a meeting with Emperor Charles zi Britannia—had an entirely different opinion. He respected His Majesty's judgment, of course, and he could indeed agree that the Kururugi boy was talented. However, as treasonous as the thought might have been, Bismarck couldn't help but feel that what His Majesty was telling him now might very well go beyond the realms of sanity.

Princess Leloucia, to marry that Number? No. It was an outrage, an impossibility. Just the idea made Bismarck want to crawl into his knightmare and weep. (Tears are manly. Shut up.)

Unfortunately, Bismarck could not voice any of his misgivings. It was not his job to question Emperor Charles. However, His Majesty's children were also present, and did not seem inclined to censor themselves. "I understand your point of view, Father," Prince Schneizel said, "but Leloucia deserves a husband more suited to her station."

The mellowness of his words did not fool Bismarck. He could see the iciness in Schneizel's demeanor. Oh, yes, the White Prince was very angry about his father's decision.

Cornelia nodded. "I won't deny the fact that the boy is a good soldier, but he is still only a Number."

Charles waved a hand, dismissing them both. "Bah. That's only a label. These days, having a title hardly guarantees good genetics. Besides, despite the boy's rather unfortunate circumstances, he does actually have blue blood. His pedigree is impeccable. He'll do nicely. Eventually, at least. If he proves himself to my satisfaction."

Charles smiled, an unpleasant expression that didn't bode well for anybody's future. "I wish to see how my knight fares against Leloucia's," he said, throwing a glance toward Bismarck. "We will then proceed accordingly. In the meantime, the two of you will not interfere in any way."

Suffice to say, the news improved Bismarck's mood tremendously. He left His Majesty's offices with a spring in his step, already daydreaming about pummeling the presumptuous Number into paste and winning the hand of Princess Leloucia in the process.

Schneizel and Cornelia were not so easily convinced. They obviously promised to comply with their father's command, and it did relieve them that Charles wouldn't simply give Leloucia to the Number overnight. However, after the display from that day, they were not sure Bismarck's skill would suffice as a barrier to safeguard their lovely and innocent sister.

"Yesterday, I would have said that there is no way Kururugi could possibly have a chance, but today..." Cornelia shot Schneizel a look through the corner of her eye. "I am reluctant to underestimate him again."

Schneizel nodded, his brilliant mind already calculating a thousand different options. "Well, we cannot interfere now, but that doesn't mean we cannot interfere at a later date." After all, Kururugi was still the son of the Prime Minister of Japan. If push came to shove, news could always come that he had been a traitor all along. No, that wouldn't work. Maybe another solution, something not so drastic that would not make Leloucia hate them all forever. Could they use their uncle for this and eliminate two threats at the same time? The more Schneizel thought about it, the more the idea appealed, but it was rather risky. Victor was an uncontrollable factor on a good day and bringing him in on this could mean endangering Leloucia far too much. He'd have to think about it a little more.

Of course, Leloucia knew nothing of her big brother's ploys. After the competition, Clovis had swept her away from the rest of their siblings, which was probably a good idea, since Schneizel was looking particularly murderous, Cornelia was fingering her throwing knives and Euphemia had that strange glint in her eye that usually made Leloucia wonder how anyone could ever think she was harmless. Clovis being Clovis, he'd noticed the tension and stepped in before anyone could explode.

Leloucia would have appreciated this more had it not resulted in him bursting into her private quarters, dramatically draping himself over her settee and starting to prod her for details about her sex life.

"I admit I had my doubts until today, but I have definitely changed my mind," he said, producing a rose from... somewhere. Leloucia had no idea where he had kept it, but that was something she had long ago stopped trying to figure out, as was Clovis's talent to look like he was posing for a painting no matter where he was. "He must have amazing stamina in bed, doesn't he?" Clovis continued to pry. "Oh, and I bet he has a big dick too. I kept trying to figure out his size judging by the bulge, but I can't quite tell. He's at least a 7-incher, isn't he?"

"Clovis, Suzaku and I aren't sleeping together." Yet. "I don't know how big his penis is." Yet. She had every intention of finding out. "I didn't pick him as my knight because he's attractive." Technically true. After all, there were plenty attractive men who had offered their services as her knights and she had refused all of them.

Clovis made a moue of distaste. "Leloucia, dearest... I'm disappointed in you. You can't have such a magnificent specimen of masculinity by your side and not take full advantage of the situation."

Leloucia might have told Clovis that Suzaku wasn't someone she wanted to take advantage of in any way, but that would be missing the point, since Clovis didn't mean it that way. Despite his general propensities for orgies, he'd never once forced anyone into his bed. He claimed that a lover who didn't appreciate him was an offense to his aesthetic and artistic sensibilities. Leloucia secretly thought that Clovis was a closet romantic and a sensitive soul, which was actually pretty unusual for their family.

It was for this reason that she decided to confide in him. "I... may have told him that I'd give him a prize if, or rather, when he won. But you can't tell anyone. Especially not Schneizel."

Clovis's eyes widened. "Truly? Oh, that's excellent news. My little Leloucia, all grown up and finally exploring her sexuality." He laughed lightly. "Although I do admit you are a tease Giving me such golden information, but keeping me from sharing it? Whatever shall I do with myself?"

Leloucia gave her brother an unimpressed look. "Maybe instead of worrying about lording secrets over Schneizel, you should help your sister with some advice on how to seduce her knight."

Clovis's smile was strikingly similar to the one Charles had given to Bismarck—not that he was aware of it. "That, dearest Lulu, I can certainly do. Not to worry. Big brother Clovis will take care of everything."

An hour later, a disgruntled Suzaku finally escaped the clutches of the Rounds. Even after he had been released from the infirmary, he had been kept from his princess, as Anya had insisted they needed to relocate him to the barracks of the Rounds. This proved to be easier said than done. Suzaku did not have a lot of personal items he absolutely needed to pack, but he did have Arthur to worry about, and the damn cat had chosen this exact day to be difficult.

It was Anya who finally managed to fish Arthur from under the bed. Maybe they had connected over their shared dislike of Suzaku. Suzaku would have been disgruntled at the fact that he'd been betrayed by his own cat, but he was too relieving at having finally secured the feline.

Once both Arthur and the rest of Suzaku's things were inside the quarters assigned for the Knight of Seven, Suzaku took a speedy shower and fled before Anya could capture him again. He made his way to the princess's quarters in record time. He figured she would be here instead of in her offices, since she'd taken a day off for the tournament.

He knocked at the door, his heart hammering in his chest and his dick already hard in anticipation. He did his best to push back his arousal, reminding himself that his lovely princess hadn't actually told him what his prize would be, and that she didn't owe him anything. Just the kiss they'd shared earlier was prize alone.

Still, when he heard her soft voice call out, "Yes? Who is it?", he couldn't help but hope and pray that he had indeed read her right.

"It's me, Your Highness," he said. He briefly wondered if he should elaborate and say something more eloquent than "me", but he didn't have to.

"Come in, Suzaku," she offered.

Suzaku instantly followed the order. He slid into the room, closing the door behind himself. He couldn't see her in the living room, so his nervousness returned with a vengeance. "Princess Leloucia," he said, "my apologies for the delay. I..."

His words died when she came out of her bedchambers. She was wearing [a light-purple ensemble formed out of an incredibly skimpy bustier and a mini-skirt with ruffles](http://vocaloidlyrics.wikia.com/wiki/File:Ifuudoudou.jpeg). It matched her eyes, while also drawing attention to the creamy flawlessness of her complexion. Her hair was down, and while this wasn't necessarily an unusual development, it looked all the more striking when the strands trailed over the exposed curves of her breasts.

Suzaku had always thought the princess was almost surreally beautiful, but he had only ever seen her wearing uniforms or other kind of formal wear. While her previous clothes had emphasized her lovely attributes, they had also fiercely reminded him of how far above him she was.

Even in his wildest and dirtiest dreams, he had not been able to imagine her like this.

She was blushing slightly, the only sign that she was in any way out of her comfort zone. She didn't look away from him for a minute, and her deep amethyst eyes were even more hypnotizing than before.

The only thing our young and overwhelmed hero could utter was an incoherent sound that was probably not very suited to the facade of put-together knight he had been trying to uphold. "Nggh..."

The princess didn't seem to hold his lapse against him, although her blush did deepen slightly. She cleared her throat and straightened her back, as if bracing herself for a fight. "Well, my knight," she finally said. "What are you waiting for? Won't you claim your prize?"

What little decorum Suzaku had managed to preserve in the wake of the princess's appearance vanished like it had never been. He threw all caution to the wind and lunged at the princess.

Suffice to say, the outfit Leloucia had painstakingly chosen with Clovis's help did not survive for long, nor did she get the chance to use too many of the techniques Clovis had suggested. But Leloucia was too busy confirming to herself that yes, Suzaku's dick was at least a 7-incher, and Suzaku was too busy introducing his princess to the concept of multiple orgasms to care about details like that.

They had plenty of time to explore more elaborate seduction techniques. (Perhaps at a later date, when the author feels more inclined to write smut.)

Elsewhere, one Victor zi Britannia emerged from his studies on how to cure dwarfism, only to find a report on the new knight of his most hated niece sitting on his desk.

Apparently, Suzaku Kururugi had not only managed to earn Leloucia's attention, but had also recently won a tournament in which he had proved himself worthy to be a knight of the empire. His spies had also provided a video file of the tournament in question, and it did not please Victor in the least bit.

This would not do. This would not do at all. He knew his brother very well and he could already see where this was going. He refused to let Marianne's line continue.

Victor considered the green-eyed young man who had just become the knight of his hated niece and smirked. It looked like he'd have to dig out a card he had not considered very useful. He loved it when that happened.

He wondered what Leloucia would think if she found out her new knight was actually a dishonorable patricide. Now that would be very interesting to see.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not writing the explicit sex scene, but I wasn't really in the mood for it. It's actually part of the reason why I delayed this chapter for so long. I may write something more explicit in the future, though, so don't lose hope yet :)


	5. In Which There Are Walks of Shame and Parental Matchmaking Attempts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am back! Aren't you happy? Thank you to everyone who kudosed and commented on the story. I'm glad you liked my approach to the intimate SuzaLulu scene in the last chapter. I hope you'll like this chapter too.

The morning after the end of the tournament predictably found the members of the palace household in a mixed mood. Most of the Britannian imperial family had already learned that Suzaku had gone to Leloucia's bedchambers the day before and had never left. At this, Schneizel nearly had a minor aneurysm and only managed not to start a war with the Chinese Federation due to Kanon's swift intervention and lack of gag reflex.

Cornelia's situation was similar, although she ended up getting distracted by the weird way Euphie was acting. She buried the thoughts of the Number having her way with Leloucia at the back of her mind in favor of pacifying Euphie, who for some reason had decided it was time for her to get more involved in the affairs of the empire and had demanded to be taught swordplay and marksmanship.

Clovis was pretty much enjoying the chaos, although he felt slightly disappointed that he had not managed to lord his knowledge of Leloucia's affair with her knight over Schneizel. He'd always secretly been a little jealous of their relationship, since Schneizel was the only one who could get Leloucia to do anything she wasn't willing to and he had wanted so many times to use his sister as a model.

As for the emperor... He merely hoped his daughter had thought to use protection. At this time, when the final decision on Leloucia's husband had not yet been made, a child out of wedlock would be inconvenient.

Meanwhile, the Knights of Rounds—sans Bismarck and Luciano, of course, who were sulking in a manner far too undignified for men in their position—were making bets on how much physical damage the princess had left behind during her intercourse with her knight.

Had he known about the efficiency of the palace rumor mill, Suzaku would have perhaps remembered to leave earlier. Well, technically, he did know, as he had used it before to earn his lovely princess's approval. However, it was very easy to forget about such trivial matters when he had the very willing and very aroused Leloucia in his arms. So he lost himself in the scent of her sweet perfume, the surreal, impossible color of her deep amethyst eyes, the tight hold of her body around him and the way she clung to his shoulders so hard she drew blood. He discarded all notion of propriety, more grateful than ever for his nigh-superhuman levels of stamina.

He only realized his mistake early in the morning, when the princess woke up in his arms. By then, he had actually been up for a while, watching her sleep—which he knew was probably a little creepy, but unavoidable regardless. After a little bout of morning sex in the shower, Leloucia finally let out an "Oh" of realization. "It's morning. My family must have realized you slept here. They aren't going to be pleased."

All the color drained from Suzaku's face. "Princess, I'm so sorry. I should have realized—"

The princess interrupted his apology before he even finished the phrase. "Don't worry about it, Suzaku. I'm not ashamed of you. Just be careful. I wouldn't want Schneizel to do anything stupid out of some outlandish notion of avenging my honor."

To reassert her words, Leloucia kissed Suzaku again. Suzaku wasn't exactly sure what made him happier, the kissing or the fact that his princess wasn't afraid to face her family for him. Nevertheless, he was very happy indeed, in more than one way. He'd have probably proceeded to prove it—all over again—but in this instance, he managed to hold back. After the night they'd spent together, the princess was probably sore and he did need to go back to his quarters to get a new uniform. The one he'd worn the day before was barely wearable due to his and Leloucia's enthusiasm to get him naked.

Leloucia seemed to have the same idea. "Go on," she said against his lips. "Go get ready for the day. I'll wait for you here and then we can have breakfast together."

"Yes, Princess Leloucia," Suzaku replied.

"You don't need to call me that when we're in private," Leloucia chastised him with a frown. "You've been inside me. Call me Lulu."

"Lulu," Suzaku repeated, like he was hypnotized by the nickname. It shouldn't have suited her—she was far too beautiful for something so simple—but somehow it did. "I'll remember."

He smiled sappily at her, and the smile didn't fade even when he left her quarters and futilely tried to sneak into his own. Before he could reach his private room, he was ambushed by his fellow Rounds.

"And there he is, doing the walk of shame," Gino said. "Or should I say, the walk of pride?"

Suzaku scanned his mind for something appropriate to say, but nothing came to him. Meanwhile, Anya took one look at him and snapped a photo. "That's a rather impressive bruise on your neck. Did the princess leave others and can we see?"

"No, you can't see," Suzaku managed to splutter. "Besides, it's inappropriate to talk about the sex life of a member of the imperial family."

"Oh, stop being so tense," Nonette offered. "It's not like anyone will be surprised that it happened. And every other prince and princess have had plenty of lovers, so it's not a taboo or anything."

She was right there, as evidenced by the gossip on the Princess Guinevere, but still, Suzaku somehow felt that it was different when it came to his Lulu. The Rounds didn't appear to agree.

"Really, it was a waste that she refused to take anyone to her bed to begin with," Gino said. "Three quarters of the population of Pendragon wants to bed her, and the rest are either not interested in the female gender or her family."

Suzaku eyed Gino suspiciously, wondering if the Knight of Three had designs on his princess which he should worry about. Gino seemed oblivious to the danger to his life. "What? It's true, and everyone is thinking it."

"Yes," Monica drawled, "but most people have enough sense to not say it in front of Her Highness's overprotective knight."

Monica, at least, had apparently noticed Suzaku's souring mood. It was a good thing indeed that Luciano and Bismarck were not present, because otherwise, there might have been more than teasing banter involved.

In the end, Suzaku accepted the fact that his fellow Rounds truly didn't mean any harm by their comments, but he still refused to tell them the number of bruises and marks Lulu had left on his body. (He had yet to count, but he knew they were numerous, and he bore them with pride.) He then excused himself and quickly retired to his quarters, where he found a new uniform like Lulu had instructed him.

In no time at all, he made his way back to Lulu's room. He found her dressed for the day, sipping on a cup of tea while she pondered the contents of a message she had received. "Apparently, my father wants to see us at lunch."

Suzaku flinched. "That can't be good."

"I don't know, Suzaku. It's really rather strange. I mean, why did he make you a Rounds instead of just leaving you with the title of my knight? He has a long-term plan, and I'm pretty sure we'll find out what it is today."

Suzaku sat next to his princess and squeezed her hand. "Well, whatever it is, I'll be by your side to face it."

Leloucia's smile toward him was brighter than a Core Luminous. "I know, Suzaku. I know."

This knowledge and the bond the two lovers shared did not prepare them for the actual meeting with Charles zi Britannia and for the news they received. Of course, that was probably because of the way Charles chose to deliver that news to begin with.

It happened like this. Charles actually had every intention of explaining his perfectly logical and generous decision to his daughter in an elaborate and tactful manner. But shortly before noon, he received a report that his brother was showing signs of activity again, and he had no doubt that Victor would become a problem to his plans. This meant that when Leloucia and Suzaku showed up, Charles was in a foul mood. Whenever a member of the Britannian imperial family lost their temper, the consequences tended to be dire for whatever unfortunate soul they chose to target.

In a way, it was perhaps fortunate that Leloucia was the one Charles was to meet with. Just her presence and her resemblance to Marianne calmed Charles down somewhat. Nonetheless, he was nowhere near as tactful as he had planned to be, and so, as soon as they sat down, he proceeded to put his foot in his mouth.

"My dearest daughter. I have reached the conclusion that you are at the right age to finally be wed. I have determined that the most appropriate candidate to be your husband is Bismarck."

Leloucia went very still. "I'm sorry, what?"

The expression on Leloucia's face made Charles backtrack very quickly. He was reminded that she was his favorite daughter for a reason. She had once caused a volcanic eruption just to utterly eradicate the enemy host she was fighting at the time, and Charles was pretty sure that she carried as many miniature chaos grenades with her as Clovis did roses and Cornelia daggers. The emperor he might be, but he still needed to tread lightly here.

Unbeknownst to Charles, he now had a very pissed off and possessive Suzaku Kururugi to be worried about too. But before Suzaku could do anything stupid that would have perhaps gotten him executed and ended this story prematurely, Charles remedied his mistake and elaborated a bit on his train of thought. Insofar as he could, at least.

"Leloucia, let me put it this way. To make sure Britannia prospers, we need to ensure the security of its future, and you are old enough to contribute."

"Cornelia is older than me and she isn't married," Leloucia argued between gritted teeth. Oh, if her father thought he could just turn her into a broodmare, he had another think coming.

"It's only a matter of time until she and Lord Guilford finally decide to tie the knot," the emperor replied. "At this point, she's just being stubborn. As for your other siblings... I've been hearing comments from Earl Maldini about Schneizel's unusual tastes for more years than I can count. Marrybell seems to enjoy seeing her two Zevon knights fight over her two much to decide on one, and even if she did make a call, she seems to have a preference for the female sibling. I have hopes for Clovis, but he is no warrior. The rest of your older brothers and sisters are unremarkable at best."

Leloucia grimaced. That was true. Odysseus's interest in prepubescent girls had always unsettled her. Guinevere would probably go on to marry someone—whoever their father decided—but she had done nothing of significance. Euphie and Carine were similar, although that could change once the two of them were older.

Still, Charles had more children than he had time to deal with. Surely he didn't need to think about the next generation right this instant. And even if he did, Leloucia refused to marry Bismarck. He was attractive enough, but he was twice her age and fantasized about her dead mother on a regular basis. Yeah, no.

"I understand your logic, Father, but with respect, I don't think that Bismarck and I would make a good couple. I am more liable to kill him on our wedding night than I am to let him between my legs."

Normally, Leloucia would have not have said such crass things, not in front of her father, but she was very close to losing her temper. When that happened, profanity would be the last thing Charles would have to worry about.

Fortunately, Charles was aware of this, which was why he didn't delay in revealing his trump card. "I'm aware. Which is why I wish to give your knight the chance to earn your hand."

It would have been difficult to say who was more surprised at that sentence, Leloucia or Suzaku. "Me?" Suzaku managed to ask.

"Yes, Sir Kururugi. I was quite impressed by your performance yesterday and I believe you would be a match for my daughter. I don't think I am mistaken in thinking that you would like to make an honest woman out of Leloucia."

The only thing Suzaku wanted was to say "hell, yes", but within the expanse of twenty four hours, he had gone from thinking his feelings for his princess were doomed to be unrequited to having her as his potential bride. It was a little too much for his poor brain to process.

Meanwhile, Leloucia was experiencing a similar state of shock. She now understood the reason behind her father's decision to make Suzaku the Knight of Seven, but at the same time, she couldn't help but think that this was a little too good to be true. What was the catch, and why mention Bismarck at all if Suzaku had impressed her father so much? What did this chance mean, exactly?

The silence stretched awkwardly while Suzaku and Leloucia struggled to make sense of what they were being told. Finally, Charles arched a brow at Suzaku. "You do wish to marry her, do you not?"

At that, Suzaku promptly snapped out of his trance. "Yes, Your Majesty. Of course, Your Majesty. Thank you for this honor, Your Majesty."

"Don't thank me yet. I said I would give you a chance. You haven't earned her hand yet."

Decision burned brightly in Suzaku's chest. It was far stronger than anything he'd felt before, even than his desire to change the empire from within. "And what must I do to earn her hand?"

Leloucia provided the response in the emperor's stead. "Fight Bismarck. You want him to fight Bismarck."

Charles nodded, unsurprised that his daughter had drawn the right conclusion. "Sir Kururugi may have proven himself to be worthy of being your knight, but being your husband is an entirely different matter."

Suzaku remembered the large, scarred man who was widely known as the strongest knight of Britannia. Perhaps the thought of facing him should have been intimidating. It wasn't. If anything, it just made Suzaku more determined. "Of course, Your Majesty. I understand and am grateful for this chance to prove myself. If I may ask, when would this challenge take place?"

Charles hadn't actually considered that, but despite the fact that he was the emperor of the largest nation on the planet, he could be a little short-sighted at times—as evidenced by his tendency toward polygamy. On a whim, he said, "In a week."

That would work well to make preparations for appropriate announcements, make sure Victor didn't interfere and have Kururugi be completely recovered from his previous tournament. It would not give people enough time to see Kururugi as a permanent fixture of the Britannian imperial family, but whatever. Charles had never particularly cared about what the peasants thought anyway.

"Very well, Father," Leloucia said. "A week it is." A part of her was terrified of what this would mean, but she trusted Suzaku and she refused to show doubt.

They never did finish the lunch Leloucia and Suzaku had supposedly come there for. Leloucia excused herself and Suzaku, and Charles waved them off, relieved that the meeting had ended with no bloodshed.

As for the two young lovers... Leloucia dragged Suzaku back to her office. By the time they reached their destination, she had managed to regain her composure. The moment they were behind closed doors, she shot him a wicked grin. "You are going to win this, Suzaku, but not just in any way. You're going to crush Bismarck, and you're going to show the whole of Britannia who the strongest knight is and whom I belong to."

"Yes, Your Highness," Suzaku replied. He crowded her against her desk and kissed her breathless. "Yes, Lulu. Whatever you want, I will provide."

And he would, because no other option was possible. This was their chance to be together forever, and they would not waste it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Marrybell's knights are a reference to the main characters in Oz the Reflection: Oldrin and Orpheus Zevon. They are twins and both of them are Marrybell's "knights", although not at the same time as in this story (Oldrin is first, then Orpheus). This detail is not important to this particular story, but I thought I should mention it. (If you're interested in it, google Oz the Reflection).


	6. In Which the Saber Meets the Greatsword

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy. This is probably one of the longest chapters I've written in a while. It's also a little more serious than what I've written before in this fic, but it could not be helped.  
> As a side-note, I realized I had spelled Bismarck's name wrong and went back to change it. Also, author is not an expert at swordplay, military strategy etc. Everything I used is information acquired through the power of the all-mighty Google.  
> Anyway, I hope you like it! As always, comments are love!

The week following Suzaku's knighting passed much too quickly. Within days, news emerged of Suzaku's imminent confrontation with Bismarck, and people took to shooting him smirks of smug satisfaction. This did not last long, because the first time the princess caught someone in the act, she was not pleased. In fact, it was probably just the fact that Suzaku had been particularly thorough in his sexual attentions that morning that saved the unwise individual's life. He was still promptly told to pack his bags and was dispatched to one of most dangerous front lines.

"If they think they're so powerful and clever," the princess said, "let them prove it."

The action served as a reminder that, despite Leloucia's obvious fondness toward her knight, she remained as dangerous as always, if not more so. She had always been fierce, but now, she was feeling defensive, and she would react badly to any perceived threat.

Suzaku actually found this rather violent part of his princess very appealing, but that wasn't a huge surprise. Between his tendency toward masochism and his attraction toward both the princess's physique and her fiery temperament, he found himself struggling to keep his erections under control.

He should have probably been more worried about the imminent confrontation with the Knight of One, but he had his instructions from his Lulu and he was confident that he would succeed. After all, if Lulu trusted him, how could he possibly fail? Not to mention the fact that his determination and resolve were stronger than any other's.

He would prove to the Emperor that he was deserving of his princess and he would earn her hand in marriage. Maybe one day, they would even have children. He could have a family again, a real one, born out of his love for his princess.

Suffice to say, there was much dreamy sighing done throughout the week, but to Suzaku's credit, he managed to hold it back when they were in public. He was less successful when in the company of the Rounds. Whenever he wasn't with his Lulu, he was with one of them, and they constantly teased him about his relationship with the princess.

"I do hope you survive this," Anya told him with her usual aplomb in one of the numerous occasions she ambushed him with her camera. "It would be a great memory to capture."

By now, Suzaku had learned that Anya had some memory-related issues due to a blow she had received to the head in the attack that had killed Lady Marianne, Lulu's mother. He therefore waited patiently while she took the photo, then went ahead to track down Arthur into his quarters. He didn't protest when she followed.

"You're not worried that I'll hurt Sir Waldstein?" he asked as he scanned the room for his feline friend.

Anya shrugged. "Bismarck can take care of himself. Besides, it's his own fault."

Suzaku suspected the enigmatic statement referenced the fact that Bismarck's insistence to wed Leloucia was related to the Lady Marianne more than to Lulu herself. Having known Marianne and Leloucia for years, Anya was probably aware of this. Maybe that was why she was, in her own way, helping him.

Or maybe she truly did do it for excitement, he thought as she took another photo—this time of him getting clawed by Arthur. Sigh.

The others were a little more easy to read. Nonnette and Monica did not seem to think he could win against Bismarck. Neither did Luciano for that matter, and he was one of the few who kept up with his smirks and comments despite Lulu's intervention. Gino Weinberg showed actual concern about it. "I was looking forward to having another male Knight of Rounds here. Luciano and Bismarck don't count, and some days, I do feel overwhelmed."

"Don't worry, Sir Weinberg," Suzaku replied. "I won't die. I have too much to live for."

Gino Weinberg might not have been aware of how significant this statement was, but coming from a previously suicidal man, it held a lot of weight. Coming from Suzaku Kururugi, who was stubborn enough to become an Honorary Britannian even when everybody else pointed out how bad an idea it was, it should have been a warning.

But at the end of the day, despite Suzaku's excellent performance in the previous competition and his success in piloting the Lancelot, he was still just a Number. As such, 99% of the population of Pendragon believed that he would miserably fail and find his death at the hands of the Knight of One. A fitting end for a presumptuous Number, most of them said—whenever the princess wasn't around to hear.

The Britannian imperial family was not so convinced. Schneizel and Cornelia were already making contingency plans. It was obvious to them that Leloucia would not exactly be a passive participant in this, nor would she allow herself to be only a prize. One way or another, she would likely offer her knight her support.

Clovis had decided to stay out of this one, since Leloucia was more likely to want to spend time with her new knight than with him. Still, he was secretly looking forward to the day of the duel, since it would undoubtedly provide him with a boost in inspiration.

Marrybell had her own knights to comfort. Both Oldrin and Orpheus sulked because they had wanted to test their skill against Suzaku's. The end result was actually pretty pleasurable for Marrybell herself and made her question her previous stance on incest.

Euphemia silently fumed. This damn duel was the last thing she needed, because no matter the result, it would not work well with her plans. She would just have to hope her beloved Suzaku won and then remove Leloucia from the picture before the two of them could be wed. Damn Leloucia anyway for suddenly deciding she had a sexuality.

Meanwhile, the instigator of the entire situation, one Charles zi Britannia was spending far too much time cackling in anticipation for it to be considered sane. His increasingly good mood only soured when he received news that his brother would be participating to the tournament. Damn it. He'd have to supplement security to make sure Victor didn't stupidly jeopardize the future of Britannia because of his ridiculous hatred for all the things Charles valued.

As for Lulu herself... She plotted and planned and showed her knight her full appreciation and trust in his skills. She didn't allow herself to doubt, no matter how aware she was of Bismarck's abilities. Suzaku needed her full confidence, and that was what he got.

Of course, given the amount of attention the duel received, all citizens heard about it—including commoners and Honoraries. The emperor had actually decided the duel would be broadcast on national television, so everyone would get to see it. And everyone knew that unlike the fight before, this was one duel that had the potential to change Britannia forever.

Suzaku was peripherally aware of this, but he didn't bother thinking too much about the big picture. He was, after all, a young man, and his selflessness only went so far. When he took up the sword the day of the duel, it was for himself and his Lulu that he fought, not for the world or any of the citizens holding their breaths to see his performance.

The confrontation was once again held in a massive arena, in front of a crowd that was impossibly even larger than before. The whole imperial family had come—with the exception of the children considered too young for such displays—and they alone occupied a whole row.

A special seat was brought for Victor zi Britannia, to compensate for the fact that he was so... height-challenged. This was actually rather useful, since it meant Schneizel and Cornelia could anticipate his position and block any access he might have had to Leloucia.

Charles had taken similar precautions and had positioned most of the Rounds in this area. When Victor arrived, he found with a great degree of irritation that he could barely even see his most hated niece—and not just because he was short, but because of his other nephews and nieces.

Damn Cornelia anyway. He was half-convinced she had stolen his share of the height assigned to each member of the family. Worse still, he was forced to sit next to Odysseus, whom he suspected Schneizel had brought in specifically because he was so annoying. In his current position, Victor felt far too aware of just how much he looked like a child.

Well, in any case, he had a solid plan, one that he had no intention of implementing today. He was actually interested in how the Kururugi boy would fare against Bismarck. And if Kururugi died at Bismarck's hand, he would be the first to celebrate, of course. Anything that brought Leloucia pain was a plus in his book. It would definitely be worth having to sit next to his eldest nephew.

Every single person in the arena and in Britannia held their breaths as the two combatants appeared from opposite entrances. Suzaku nodded politely. "Sir Waldstein."

"Kururugi," Bismarck replied. He wasn't uncouth enough to sneer, but the sharpness in his eyes spoke volumes of his desire to squash Suzaku where he stood.

In the stands, the emperor got up. "All men are not created equal!" he shouted, much like he had the day of Suzaku's confrontation with the rest of Lulu's would-be knights. "Inequality is not wrong, equality is! What of the EU who made equality a right? Rabble politics by a popularity contest. The Chinese Federation with its equal distribution of wealth? A nation of lazy dullards. But not our beloved Britannia. We fight, we compete; evolution is continuous! Britannia alone moves forward; advancing steadily into the future. And it is through our strength that we persevere.

"To this end, we stand here today, as Sir Bismark Waldstein and Sir Suzaku Kururugi compete for their future, and the future of Britannia, and for the hand of my daughter, Leloucia. Let us see who is the strongest of the knights of Britannia, and the most deserving of her. All Hail Britannia!"

The people in the stadium cheered, although without a doubt, they considered it very unlikely that Suzaku even had a chance. Not that Suzaku particularly cared. He watched his opponent with keen eyes, his mind a sea of calm. He could practically hear his princess whisper her instructions in his ear. _"Bismarck wields a two-handed greatsword. His greatest asset is his strength. Your greatest asset is your speed. For that reason, you'll be using a saber, not a longsword._

_"Bismark will come at you hard. Do not try to block his blows with your weapon. Between the quality of his sword and his own strength, it's very likely that should you do so, your saber will break—and probably a few bones in your arm too. Dodge."_

Suzaku did just that. The moment the emperor gestured for the duel to begin, Bismarck lunged forward, swinging his heavy sword. Suzaku danced to the right, easily evading the attack. Normally, he would have been tempted to launch a counter-attack, but the princess had told him to take his time and not rush. _"Bismarck is not Luciano. You cannot expect to defeat him so easily. He's seen you fight and he undoubtedly has drawn some conclusions about your style. If you try to counter him too soon, he'll take you down."_

Confirming the princess's words, Bismarck moved to the side, lifting his sword with an agility that belied his size to block an attack that never came. When he saw Suzaku just standing there, waiting, his lips thinned in displeasure and his hold on his sword tightened.

What followed was, in simple terms, a battle of attrition. _"Bismarck's strength is also his weakness,"_ Suzaku's princess had told him. _"As used as he is to carrying a greatsword, even he has his limits. He is slower and older than you, and the sword is heavy. He will tire."_

Suzaku's goal was to encourage that, so he constantly dodged, shifted and effectively made a nuisance of himself without making any real attempt at a counter-attack. He kept an eye for any openings, but for the most part, he focused on staying out of Bismarck's reach. One direct blow from the broadsword, and it could be all over. He couldn't afford to get cocky.

Time passed. In the stands, the onlookers were starting to get impatient. There was some restlessness when Suzaku drew first blood, and it only increased when he did nothing to pursue his apparent advantage.

Of course, the barely-there scratch now decorating Bismarck's cheek hardly hindered Bismarck in any way. It did piss him off, however, and he seemed to grow even more determined to take Suzaku's head off with his sword than before, which should have really been an impossibility.

Suzaku fought on just like the princess had told him to. He used every single thing he could come up with, doing jumps through the air, occasionally even throwing his sword into the air to free his hands for better maneuverability. He always got it back before it could hit the ground, and every single time, the sight visibly enraged Bismarck.

He was rewarded for his effort when once again, Lulu's words were proven correct.

 _"He won't try to communicate with you at first, because he feels you are beneath him,"_ she had said. _"He'll attempt to end the duel as quickly as possible and prove this way that he is the best knight of Britannia and worthy of my hand._

_"When that fails, he will fall onto the well-known tactics of distracting his opponent. He'll start to bait you. He will make digs at your ancestry, your homeland, your people. He will question your loyalty, your worthiness. Ignore him. The more he speaks, the more tired he gets."_

"What is this foolishness, Kururugi?" Bismarck bellowed. "Why won't you come at me like a man?"

Suzaku didn't bother with an answer. It was more a rhetorical question than anything else anyway, as evidenced by Bismarck's follow-up. "But then, perhaps I should not be surprised. What more could you expect of the son of a man who committed suicide out of cowardice?"

The dig at Suzaku's father should have made him falter. Understandably, it was still a sore point for our young hero. However, the princess had warned him that this could happen and really, it was not that unusual for Suzaku's parentage to come up when he was being insulted. Even fellow Honoraries had done it, during training. He had never thought that it would come in handy one day, but there it was.

"You Elevens are all alike," Bismarck continued. "Cowardly traitors who don't deserve setting one foot in Pendragon."

Suzaku would have liked to point out that it was hardly Bismarck's place to say that. If he was here, it was because Prince Schneizel, then Lulu and Emperor Charles had deemed it appropriate. But he had his orders, so he stubbornly stayed silent, and was gratified to see Bismarck's exasperation with him increase.

On and on the onslaught of insults went. Occasionally, Bismarck almost seemed to contradict himself, making every attempt to distract Suzaku even if one offensive remark clashed with a previously uttered one. It did not matter, because it was a natural progression of events and something Lulu had told him would happen.

"I don't understand what the princess sees in you," Bismarck finally said. "But then, I suppose even princesses are prone to weaknesses of the flesh."

Lulu's words once more rang out in Suzaku's mind. _"You'll know once he feels himself reaching his limit. You'll be able to see it. But also, I suspect that at one point, he will mention me. He must realize that if you show no reaction to anything else, I must be your only weak point. He would not normally do it, so if he does say something insulting in any way about me, you will know that it is the right moment to strike. And you will answer."_

"It's funny that you should say that, Sir Waldstein," Suzaku told Bismark, following Lulu's instructions to the letter. "What does it feel like, to always be unworthy, to always be left behind, to always question your own actions and loyalty, to always be aware of your weakness? What does it feel like to hate your emperor because he took the woman you loved as his own? To always know that had you married Marianne, she would still be alive?"

He could have been more graphic about it, but he didn't have to. The words worked beautifully, just like Lulu had known they would.

The painful truths always hit hardest. While Lulu doubted Bismarck would ever seriously consider betraying the emperor, on some level, he undoubtedly did resent Charles for taking Marianne for himself. And as weird as contemplating the thought might have seemed, had Bismarck asked her to be his wife, she would not have become Victor's target, and would therefore still be alive.

Bismarck's grip on his sword went slack, his whole body freezing. It was only for a moment, the slightest second of hesitation, but Suzaku took advantage of it in full.

A second was enough for him to slide past Bismarck's guard, direct a powerful roundhouse kick to his shoulder and send the large man flying to the ground. Bismarck tried to recover, but Suzaku was faster and disarmed Bismarck before the man could hope to put up a resistance. Never had Suzaku been more thankful for the amount of Aikido he had done as a child.

Within less than a minute, he had Bismarck pinned to the ground, panting in helpless fury with a sword to his neck. Not that he was truly going easy on the Knight of One. His knee was against Bismarck's spine and his hold on his opponent tight. One false move, and Suzaku was more than ready to do some real damage—beyond what he had already done, that is.

In the stands, the emperor got up once again. "That's enough, Sir Kururugi. You can let go of him now."

Suzaku obeyed. He released Bismarck and stepped to the side, sheathing his sword. He had proven his worth. He and Lulu could finally be together.

Ecstatic, he dared to steal a glimpse at his princess. It was her alarmed look that warned him something was wrong.

Indeed, there was one thing he had not considered. He had gotten up too quickly. The emperor had not yet said the duel was over.

He had just enough time to realize this before Bismarck shot to his feet, snarled and rushed at him like an enraged bull. They were too close together for Suzaku to do much more than damage control, and despite the fact that Bismarck no longer had his sword, his strength was a dangerous weapon in itself.

Suzaku felt something snap when their bodies collided, but he pushed back the pain and managed to stagger back before Bismarck could pin him to the ground. It didn't mean much. He could see Bismarck getting ready to attack again, and he'd taken more damage in that last unexpected blow than he had inflicted during the course of their fight. Bismarck's shoulder was dislocated, but Suzaku's possibly broken ribs hindered him more.

A dark sneer settled on Bismarck's face as the two of them faced each other once more. "You'll never win the princess, Kururugi. She's mine."

It was the worst possible thing to say, and the drop that filled the proverbial glass. A haze of blind anger settled over Suzaku, and suddenly, he could not take it any longer.

For years, ever since his perhaps ill-advised decision to become an Honorary, Suzaku had been forced to face humiliation after humiliation. He'd lost his homeland, his dignity and his family to Britannia. He'd been forced to commit patricide because it had seemed like the only way to do damage control at the time. He had hated himself for it and wanted to die in atonement.

But then, his Lulu had appeared, a woman unlike any others. She was so fierce, and yet, so loving. Her facade of strength hid genuine kindness and a respect toward every human being who was deserving, no matter what their blood was. She had trusted him with her body, with her heart, with all of her vulnerabilities, and he would live and die to protect that.

When Suzaku moved again, he did so with such speed that Bismarck never saw him coming. The large knight managed to block the first blow, but the ones that followed came too fast, from too many different angles, and he could not keep track of Suzaku's position. He still did not understand the mechanics of the weird spin-kicks Suzaku used, and that left him at a disadvantage. A flurry of hits jarred his already wounded shoulder. He instinctively tried to shield it, only to be head-butted in the face.

Dazed, Bismarck tried to take a few steps back. For the first time, he realized he might have made a slight miscalculation.

It did not matter anymore, because Suzaku's righteous fury was consuming him. "Lulu is not yours!" he shouted, punctuating his words with a nice kick to Bismarck's chest. "She belongs only to herself!"

The spectators all shot to their feet, shocked at this development. Suzaku was oblivious to it.

"I am sick and tired of your self-entitlement." Another punch to Bismarck's now unprotected face.

"Fuck that." Another kick, too fast for Bismarck to block it.

"Fuck you." Another blow to his head that almost propelled Bismarck into unconsciousness.

"You don't get to have her." Another spin kick, one that finally sent Bismarck to his knees.

Suzaku climbed on his back again and took hold of his hair. "You don't get to use her. She is not your tool. She is her own person and can make her own decisions. And I will see you dead for insulting that." As he finished each sentence, he bashed Bismarck's face against the ground.

By now, the words were so loud that everyone in the stadium heard them. Charles zi Britannia realized that his knight was in genuine lethal danger. If Kururugi continued hitting Bismarck that way, there would be nothing left of Bismarck's brain but mush. That was unfortunate. On the bright side, this did prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that he had been right to consider a match between Kururugi and Leloucia. Yes, Charles thought as he watched Kururugi savagely rain blows upon Bismarck, this would work nicely indeed.

The rest of the imperial family was similarly impressed. Schneizel and Cornelia begrudgingly decided that maybe they could accept Kururugi, if only because of this evidence of his devotion. Clovis was feeling a little hot under the collar, and even Guinevere mentally admitted that Leloucia had good taste in men—not that she would ever say it out loud. Marrybell decided to keep Orpheus and Oldrin away from Kururugi, since he was clearly much too dangerous. A shame that she had not gotten to recruit him before he'd landed in Leloucia's lap. He would have made a good asset for the Glinda Knights.

Meanwhile, Euphemia's anger and jealousy had reached unprecedented levels. She wanted Suzaku's devotion for herself. Damn Leloucia for stealing her fated love from her! Victor decided he would need to move up his plans, because clearly, Kururugi would be a bigger obstacle than he had thought.

And of course, there was Leloucia who was barely managing to contain her tears at the evidence of her knight's love and loyalty toward her. She wanted to tell him that he was wrong, that she did belong to someone, by her own choice. But for the moment, that wasn't possible.

For the moment, it would probably be best if her father stopped the duel. Leloucia didn't much care about Bismarck's fate right now, but it would indeed look bad if Suzaku killed him in a fit of rage. More importantly, she was worried about Suzaku. He had taken a pretty bad blow earlier, and it wouldn't do for him to get a punctured lung in his zeal to protect her honor.

Fortunately, the emperor didn't actually have any desire to see his knight dead. "I now declare the duel over," he said without preamble.

Impossibly, Suzaku didn't hear him. He was too focused on eliminating the threat to his princess's wellbeing and honor. But a familiar voice sliced through the haze of anger, returning him to his senses. "Suzaku. Enough."

He froze just seconds away from breaking Bismarck's neck. Blinking, he finally became aware of the fact that everyone was staring at him.

Shit. Had he gone overboard? Was the princess mad at him?

He needn't have worried. This time, when he looked at her, what he found was a blinding, if tremulous smile. He tentatively smiled back, warm to the very core at the evidence of Lulu's approval.

In the stands, Prince Schneizel coughed lightly, and Suzaku finally remembered to release his hold on the unconscious Bismarck. He got up once again and faced the emperor.

In a voice that seemed to resonate not only through the stadium, but throughout every corner of Britannia, Charles declared, "I give you Sir Suzaku Kururugi, the future husband of my daughter Leloucia and Knight of Zero."

Wait... What?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am no expert in swords, but in the anime, most Britannians appear to use longswords. Suzaku is no exception, as that is the sword he appears to be using during his time as a Rounds. However, his particular fighting style benefits more from something like the saber, as I had Leloucia sort of explain. Longswords are far more cumbersome, whereas sabers are more versatile. The curved blade carries a similarity to the katana, which Suzaku may have used, at least a little, when he was younger. It does seem unlikely that he did much swordplay with actual katanas as a child, but he would have at least seen it and gotten some preliminary lessons. And as I said, Suzaku's strongest suit is his speed. This is evidenced more than once in the anime, during the infamous wall-run scene, in the Requiem scene, even through his mechs, which tend to favor maneuverability over firepower. Not that the Lancelot doesn't make nice explosions, but compare it with the Guren or the Galahad and you'll see a distinct difference in fighting styles. Anyway, in a swordfight, a longsword would hinder Suzaku—thus the saber. (At least this is my opinion, as uninformed as it might be.)  
> Now, for Bismarck's sword. You only get a good look at it during his fight with Suzaku on the island, and that isn't very long *sweatdrop. That being said, the sword is so over the top it rivals the Excalibur he uses on the Galahad. It's pretty much as big as he is and half as broad. Again, I'm no expert in this field, but I'm going with it being a two-handed greatsword—thus him swatting Suzaku away like a fly in the anime.   
> This of course means that the sword fight in the anime is heavily imbalanced, as Suzaku can't use his greatest asset, whereas Bismarck's is optimized due to the large as fuck weapon. But that's an entirely different matter altogether.


	7. In Which Secrets are Revealed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy birthday, Lulu! As promised, the third update! It was about time. I hadn't touched this since June. Welp. Enjoy! Kudos and comments are birthday cake and hugs for Lulu!

"So, that happened."

In the common room of the Knights of Rounds, Gino Weinberg poured himself a stiff drink, then poured a second and a third when Nonnette and Monica gestured for him to. "Clearly, we were very lucky when we fought Kururugi."

"Mhmm," Anya replied absently. Despite her noncommittal response, it was clear that she was just as shocked as the rest of them about the result of the duel between their most recent member and Bismarck, and she was dealing with it in her regular fashion, by reviewing the fight she had filmed with her own recording device.

"I wonder if Bismarck will be all right," Monica mused. "He took some pretty bad blows at the end there."

"He's got a hard head." Nonnette shrugged. "And the emperor must think so. Otherwise he would not have brought up that whole Knight of Zero business."

"Knight of Zero." Luciano snorted, speaking for the first time. He was still understandably sore over his loss to the Number, and this development did not improve his mood any. "Please. It's a title without honor. Zero means nothing."

"I wouldn't be so hasty to judge," Monica warned the Vampire of Britannia. "Everything His Majesty does is for a reason, and I doubt he would have given his daughter's future husband a humiliating title."

Nobody could argue with that point. Despite all of them being well-aware of the numerous issues of the imperial family, they also knew that Charles did not joke around in issues of succession.

"Well, I suppose all we can do now is wait," Nonnette said. "Say, Anya, why don't you put up the fight on the big screen? I'd watch it one more time too."

"Sure. You make the popcorn. I'll hook it up once I finish sending Dorothea the email."

Luciano stalked off in a huff while the rest of the Rounds enthused over the prospect of re-watching the Number kick Bismarck's ass. Nobody seemed to care much about his departure. They were in fact, relieved, since without Luciano there, they could fangirl/fanboy a little more about their new member's moves.

Unbeknownst to the Rounds, the opinions of the citizens of the empire were just as divided. In Japan, dozens of members of the resistance were beyond shocked. Most had been outraged at the realization that the white knightmare they had been fighting had been piloted by one of their own, a piece of information that had come to light during the original tournament for the position of Princess Leloucia's knight. But this... This went beyond knighthood.

People were torn between disbelief, distaste, reluctant jealousy and hope. Taizo Kirihara was busy already making plans on how he could use this new development for the benefit of Japan. After all, he had known Suzaku as a child, and the boy couldn't possibly have left all of his attachments to his homeland behind.

Elsewhere, Tamaki Shinchiro pouted. "We should have thought of that," he told his fellow rebels. "Marrying a princess, I mean."

Naomi Inoue rolled her eyes. "Do you look like that?" she asked, pointing at the screen where an image of the handsome Kururugi heir was displayed. "And can you fight like that?" she added when shots of the duel were brought up.

"I can fight! And I'm good looking!" Tamaki protested.

The members resistance looked at each other awkwardly, but were tactful enough to not respond. Their leader intervened before the conversation could escalate. "It's beside the point," Naoto Kozuki said. "Matches between Britannians and Numbers don't end happily. This one won't be any different."

Not even Tamaki had the heart to argue with him on that point. After all, they knew the history of Naoto's family better than anyone.

Meanwhile, in the headquarters of the JLF, one Tohdoh Kyoshiro had similar concerns, if for different reasons. He knew that, despite his former student's remarkable skills, Suzaku had just made himself into a very visible target. And while his main duty was to Japan, he couldn't help but wish there had been some way to aid the boy who was clearly in over his head, trusting a woman who couldn't possibly have his best interests at heart.

Despite these misgivings, other Honoraries were far more optimistic. Area 11 was still one of the most hostile, dangerous places in the Empire due to lingering factions of rebels. The concept that an Honorary from there could marry into the imperial family was mind-blowing.

It filled many Honoraries—both Japanese, and from other areas—with hope. Maybe Britannia wasn't as set in its ways as they had thought. Maybe a balance could be reached.

Maybe in this, Charles zi Britannia was right and Suzaku Kururugi could help build them  a future.

In the meantime, the topic of all the conversations going on in most households of the Empire was lying down on a hospital bed, receiving medical treatment from a group of frightened doctors.

Leloucia stood by his bedside, eyeing the proceedings with keen amethyst eyes. Like everyone else, she knew that Suzaku's win had drawn a lot of attention, and 99% of it would be negative. She would not be surprised if someone attempted to take advantage of Suzaku's weakened state to harm her new fiancé.

"How long will it take for Suzaku to be better?" she asked.

"H-His Lordship should be fine in a couple of days, Your Highness," one of the doctors managed to stammer. "Fortunately, his ribs were only cracked, not broken."

Leloucia grimaced, but figured it would have to do. Even Britannian medical care had its limits and she didn't want to rush matters.

Suzaku was a little more eager than her. "So I'll be able to go back to my duties the day after tomorrow?" he inquired from the bed. His head was fuzzy due to all the painkillers he had been given, but he did know that he needed to remain by his beloved Lulu's side, to keep her safe from her enemies.

The doctors shared a look of disbelief, wondering if he could possibly be serious, and if it was even safe to say that no, taking things easy would be highly advisable for at least a few longer. Fortunately, they were not forced to risk their wellbeing by upsetting the wildly volatile fiancé of the emperor's treasured heiress. The princess herself sat on the bed and squeezed his hand. "I'm sure something can be arranged, Suzaku. But now, you need to rest, to give your body time to heal. The sooner you get better, the faster we'll be able to go back to normal."

Reassured, Suzaku finally settled down on the bed. Leloucia passed a hand through his hair, and her affectionate touch drained all remaining tension out of him. His eyes drifted shut and he succumbed to the sedatives in his system.

"That's it," Leloucia murmured. "Rest, my knight. You've done well."

As she spoke, she became aware of the lingering presence of the doctors in the room. She turned toward them and shot them a dark look. "I believe I don't have to tell you that should my fiancé receive any incompetent medical care, it will be treated as treason. Do I make myself clear?"

The warning was probably unnecessary, as the medical staff was already well and truly terrified. However, Leloucia believed that in some things, caution was warranted, and this was one such situation.

"Y-Yes, Your Highness," they all stammered. "Of course, Your Highness."

Since they had done everything that was necessary for the moment, Leloucia generously dismissed them. As the doctors fled, a green-haired nurse glided into the room on silent feet, seemingly unnoticed by anyone.

"Marriage, eh?" she asked simply.

"Indeed," Leloucia replied.

"I didn't expect that of you. Especially not so soon."

"Unexpected things happen all the time, witch. You know that." Leloucia threw a glance over her shoulder at her accomplice. "Why are you here, C.C.? What's happened?"

"Maybe I just want to give you some friendly advice," C.C. replied, sitting on the edge of the bed. "To celebrate your sexual awakening."

Leloucia arched a brow at C.C. She doubted that very much, since such things had always been trivial for C.C. "Do you?"

"Not really, no. V.V. is up to something. My sources in the Order haven't been the most useful as of late, but it seems he has some sort of information on your knight which he thinks may be useful to either hurt you or prevent your marriage. His goal is... unclear. Some cackling was involved."

Well, that was just great.

"It may be in some way connected to your fiancé's past. Leloucia... Do you truly think it is wise to wed the son of Genbu Kururugi?"

A chill went down Leloucia's spine at the underlining meaning behind C.C.'s words. "Suzaku isn't a traitor," she snapped at C.C.

"You don't know that. How can you possibly be sure?"

Leloucia bristled even further. "I just am."

It wasn't her best, or most eloquent response, but how could she explain to the stoic and emotionally removed C.C. how she felt about Suzaku? She supposed that in some ways, it was irrational to blindly trust him, but her heart told him that he was true to her, and she refused to doubt him. No matter what reasons he might have had to join the army, he loved her. She was sure of it.

"Really?" C.C. drawled. "I'm not questioning your taste in men, Leloucia. Your knight is certainly appealing from a physical point of view. But don't let that attraction get in the way of your sense. Your mother put your faith in the wrong people too. I don't want to see you die like she did."

"That's a flawed comparison. My mother was not betrayed by the man she loved. If that had been the case, I would not be here now."

Sure, Leloucia was not happy with the fact that her uncle was still alive despite her father being well aware that he was the one behind her mother's death, but at the same time, she knew it was a good idea to bide her time. Victor would soon outlive his usefulness, as his efficiency at the head of the Order of Secret Intelligence was quickly becoming less important, compared to the damage he was otherwise doing. Soon, he would be removed.

But until that happened, Leloucia had to make sure nothing happened to Suzaku due to whatever information Victor had or whatever else he might have planned.

"Don't worry about Suzaku's loyalty to me, C.C.," she said. "I trust him. Just find out what V.V. is planning and tell me."

C.C. nodded, not seeming very surprised at Leloucia's answer. "Very well. Introduce me to your knight next time. I want to talk to him properly."

"Fine," Leloucia answered, knowing she had no way of getting out of that one. Sometimes, C.C. could be as pushy as Schneizel. It should have been an impossibility, but there it was.

C.C. got up, already making a beeline for the door. She stopped in the doorway and threw a glance over her shoulder. "Oh, and before I forget. Congratulations. Having a sex life is good for you."

Leloucia didn't bother pointing out that was really not what C.C. had been saying earlier. C.C. was contrary and cryptic on a good day. On a bad day... Well, it was a good thing Leloucia had practice dealing with mildly insane and overprotective people, because C.C. could test her temper too.

"Thanks," she said. "And thank you again for coming."

C.C. shot her a quick smile and slid out of the room, as silent as she always was. Leloucia lingered at her knight's bedside and considered her next move.

She would have to approach the matter in some way with Suzaku, to see if she needed to do any damage control. She wholeheartedly believed in him, but everyone had secrets, and she wouldn't be surprised if Victor tried to use that against them.

Beyond that... Well, maybe it was time to take a break from Pendragon. She was growing tired of paperwork anyway, and there was only so much of her family's company she could stomach before she felt the unavoidable need to blow something up.

Perhaps it would be a good idea to see if she was needed in one of the areas? It was definitely something worth considering.

****

Waking up after the duel with the Knight of One was both a rather unpleasant experience, and among the best things that had happened in Suzaku's life. On one hand, it was somewhat painful as his ribs seemed to be protesting every tiny movement he made. On the other, Lulu was by his side, and the first thing he saw when his vision cleared was her smile.

"Welcome back, my knight. How do you feel?"

"Fine," Suzaku automatically replied. Leloucia arched a disbelieving brow, and Suzaku corrected himself. "A little sore. But I'm sure I'll be able to get back on duty soon."

This was of utmost importance. He still remembered the thick folder full of threats that Prince Schneizel had given him upon his arrival in Pendragon. He could not afford to lie in bed, ailing, and leave his Lulu exposed to her foes.

Lulu almost seemed able to read his mind. "We've been over this before, although come to think of it, you might not remember. Right now, your duty is to recover. Don't worry about me. I won't be removing myself from your side all that often anyway, and I've tightened the guard in this wing. It's not ideal, as I'd much rather rely on you than them, but for a few days, it will have to do."

Her tone left no room for argument, so Suzaku didn't protest, although he did feel that he had failed her simply by dropping his guard around Bismarck. He might have actually apologized, but he didn't get the chance. Lulu pressed a button, and shortly after, a stream of doctors invaded his rooms. Once again, they started to poke and prod at him, presumably to ascertain his current condition.

The medics determined that he still needed plenty of rest—and plenty of painkillers, and Suzaku had no say in this. He allowed himself to steal one more look at Lulu's beautiful face and then, once again, succumbed to the drugs.

The second time Suzaku woke up, he already felt much better. Much of the soreness had already subsided, and he was much more clearheaded. He temporarily rejoiced upon thinking that soon, he'd be able to go back to his job.

His joy did not last. Once Lulu—who had done as promised and remained by his side—ascertained that he was coherent enough for a serious conversation, she approached him about something she had discussed with a woman she called C.C.

"She's sort of like my spy in the OSI and she gives me occasional information on Victor and his moves. She tells me that Victor has some plans regarding something you may have done in the past. Some kind of secret. Do you have any idea what that may mean?"

Suzaku froze. There was only one thing that could be included in that category. "Err... Yeah."

He didn't have a lot of secrets. In fact, there was only one particular action that qualified to be included in that category. He hadn't given it much thought in a while now, since his Lulu took priority over his guilt. It looked like he had made a mistake in thinking he could so easily disregard his past.

He must have had a very unfortunate expression, because Leloucia sat on the bed next to him and took his hand. "Suzaku, there's nothing you can tell me that would change my mind about my feelings about you. I wouldn't push you at all on this, since I have complete faith in you, but if it is something of delicate nature, I have to know, so that I can do damage control. Just tell me, and I promise we can cover up whatever it is."

Did she think that he had joined the ranks of the Honorary Britannians with dishonorable intentions? Did she think that he planned on betraying her? The thought made Suzaku's blood freeze in his veins.

"I would never...I... It's not anything like that. I'd never do anything to hurt you. Never."

"I know, Suzaku. Like I said, I've never doubted your loyalty to me. But... There is something, isn't there?"

Suzaku was torn between relief and dread. On one hand, he was happy that she didn't actually think he would betray her, but on the other, he couldn't help but wonder what she would make of his past. Despite everything, he knew she cared deeply about most of the members of her family—her uncle excluded, of course. Would she hate him if he told her the truth?

Leloucia didn't press him further. She just waited patiently, giving him time to gather his thoughts. Her unflinching gaze and presence gave Suzaku the strength he needed to vocalize the reply she had asked for.

"It's just that... I... I killed my father."

The words came out with difficulty, but they came out. Lulu blinked, visibly surprised. "You did what?"

"It was shortly before the invasion of Japan. I heard him talking to the generals... to other people... They said that it was hopeless, that we should surrender in order to minimize damage. But my father was too proud. He said we would fight, no matter what. To the last man, woman and child." Suzaku took a deep breath and forced himself to finish his explanation. "I... I tried to change his mind, but it didn't work. And then... I don't know. It just... I was just desperate. I saw no other solution."

It had all happened so fast. One moment he had been arguing with his father, trying to persuade him to put the wellbeing of their people over his pride, and the next, he had seen the knife, taken it and...

Lulu wrapped her arms around him, snapping him out of the horrible memory. "Oh, Suzaku. My poor knight. Every time I think you can't surprise me any longer, you prove me wrong."

Suzaku wasn't sure what those words meant, but her soft perfume tickled his nostrils, her warmth was both familiar and comforting, and her voice gentle and kind. He hugged her back, because not even the emperor of Britannia could have determined him to refuse what she offered. His ribs protested slightly when he clung to her a little too hard, but he couldn't bring himself to let go.

"You humble me with your courage, you know that?" she whispered in his ear. "I know this is difficult to hear, but you did the right thing. Japan could have never won the fight, and prolonging it would have just let to more people being hurt. You never should have had to do such a thing, but you shouldn't blame yourself for trying to keep the rest of the Japanese safe."

"It was still—"

"Don't," Lulu cut him off. She broke away from their embrace, her voice now sharp and piercing. "Don't you dare finish that sentence.

"Whatever else it might have been, it was an action you performed for the wellbeing of your people. You are a hero, Suzaku."

A hero. Suzaku had never felt particularly heroic. Ever since that fateful day, he had seen himself as a dirty sinner and nothing more.

But... That wasn't exactly true any longer, was it?

He was Lulu's knight now. He had earned the position of Knight of Seven and, if he remembered well, Knight of Zero. Whatever that meant. The emperor had approved of a match between them.

If he could be Lulu's husband, a hero wasn't that far off. She believed in him, even if he didn't believe in himself, and that was enough. After all, if he'd been a worthless murderer like he had believed for seven years now, Lulu would have never allowed him to touch her or claim her as his own.

"All right," he whispered simply.

Lulu shot him a small smile. Suzaku noted with some dismay that it did not reach her eyes, and remembered how this conversation had started to begin with—the fact that Victor zi Britannia intended to somehow use this secret against them. "Is this is a problem? I mean... For my knighthood. And our... marriage?"

If it was, he would completely understand. He would never force his Lulu into anything. If she no longer wanted to be with him because of this, he would not begrudge her.

He really should have known better than to doubt Lulu's affection for him. "Don't be ridiculous, Suzaku. It changes nothing. In fact..." She scowled slightly, looking puzzled. "I have to wonder why V.V. thinks he can use this information against you to begin with. It's not like my father will ever think something like this is a flaw. If anything, he'd find it encouraging for your suitability as my husband."

"Maybe he thinks that because I betrayed my country, I'm unreliable? If I was capable of doing such a thing to my father, I'm hardly trustworthy as a Rounds."

Leloucia snorted. "Well, if anyone dares to say that about you, they'll have me to deal with. In the end, it's not your loyalty as a Rounds that matters, but your loyalty to me, and as far as I'm concerned, you've already proven it." Her beautiful lips twisted into a smile. "Which reminds me. I never did reward you for your win against Bismarck."

Suffice to say, Suzaku very quickly forgot about his self-consciousness and past fears, as Leloucia was nothing if not determined and had decided to finally put into practice some of her brother's tips. Really, it was very hard—pun intended—for Suzaku to question the validity of his actions or the solidity of his engagement when they had led him to having his cock sucked by a very enthusiastic Britannian princess.

He'd have liked to service her in a similar manner, but Lulu decided she could wait until he was completely recovered. This, of course, meant that Suzaku Kururugi was the best and most obedient patient in the history of time, much to the relief of the Pendragon medical staff, who genuinely feared for their lives when the angry princess was around.

A couple of days after his duel with Bismarck, Suzaku was ready to leave the hospital. By then, Emperor Charles had already made his decision on his following course of action. He was genuinely impressed by Kururugi's potential and viciousness, and he wanted to see more of it.

As such, he decreed that Leloucia and her knight/fiancé would leave Pendragon and head toward St. Petersburg, to fight on the European front. His lovely daughter had a unique way of humbling the idiots who would have dared to sow the seeds of dissent, all the while stabilizing the front and preventing Europia from winning any terrain. Indeed, Europia had become quite the nuisance as of late, and needed to be squashed. Considering the violence Kururugi had unleashed upon the unsuspecting Bismarck, what better target to pick for him than the EU?

Suzaku wasn't really nervous upon receiving the news of his imminent involvement in actual war. If anything, he was almost relieved. He wanted, more than ever, to prove his loyalty to his Lulu.

And as for Leloucia... She was looking forward to taking out some of her pent-up tension on the front. Blowing up Europeans always tended to improve her mood, and it could only be helpful for Suzaku's standing, which was a plus.

So it was that, only one week after their marriage had been announced, Suzaku and Leloucia were landing in Euro-Britannia. Dorothea Ernst was there to greet them and give them her report on the matter that urgently required Leloucia's presence.

"It would appear the Europeans have created some new, experimental anti-knightmare frames. The Knights of St. Michael have had some success in holding them back, but overall, we're getting slaughtered."

"Are we?" Leloucia smirked. "How unfortunate. Suzaku, it would seem that it's time to teach these presumptuous insects a lesson."

Suzaku saluted, as impeccable a knight as he had always been since he had first entered Leloucia's service. "Yes, Your Highness."

His bright grin and joyful eyes were the only signs that everything had changed between them, that they were now so much more than knight and princess—that they were engaged to be married. Leloucia rejoiced in that, and in the determination she could read in every line of Suzaku's body.

No matter what C.C. said, she knew Suzaku would never betray her. After this whole business with the Europeans was dealt with, she would find a way to remove Victor, once and for all. This had gone on long enough, and any threat to Suzaku was, from Leloucia's perspective, unacceptable.


End file.
